Search for Perfection
by ang catalonan
Summary: [HUDDY] CHAPTER 8 UP. House gets competition. R&R. END OF ACT 1... ACT 2 starts on chapter 9: Art of War
1. Last Donor Applicant

**On Defending Cuddy in "Who's Your Daddy"**

I'm hearing quite a few comments months back regarding the injection site Cuddy chose for the fertility meds and the need for House to do it for her. Some comments are quite hostile but I consider their ignorance an excuse. So with the want to educate, I would like to point out that I think I can justify why it has to be on her ass.

There are actually 3 kinds of injections. Intradermal, Subcutaneous and Intramuscular which we often times call IM. Intradermal is the type wherein a 1 ml syringe is used along with the smallest gauge needle use for skin testing of antibiotics, it is injected to the arm around 10 degree angle from the surface and should produce a wheal (like that of a mosquito bile). Subcutaneous or SubQ is the other one used for insulin injections. It is use to deposit medications in the fat layer of the integumentary system in a 45 degree angle. It's site are usually a few cm down from the deltoid and at the belly (in an almost 90 degree angle because our abdomen usually has more adipose tissue and the muscle are so deep down embedded).

Lastly the IM is an injection type wherein the needle has to target the muscle which is the deepest of the skin layer. It is here that a 90 degree angle is used. Usual sites are the thigh, the butt and around 3 fingerbreaths down from the deltoid bone. After injecting the needle the meds cannot just be pushed out. The syringe has to be aspirated before its content is to be pushed. The rationale is that the person injecting has to make sure he passed down from the subQ layer and has not pierced a vessel so be it a node or a blood vessel before injecting the meds. So I believe Cuddy there used an IM type of injection as indicated in the medication box. She cannot do it to herself because 2 hands are very important in aspirating: one hand to stabilize the syringe in a 90 degree angle while the other pulls the plastic cap (I forgot what its called).

**Ask me, _why in the butt and not in the deltoid? _**Because fertility meds needs to take effect in the ovaries and uterus and from the deltoid its just quite a long travel for the meds to kick in considering that it has to be injected twice a day.

**Ask me again: _why not just in the thigh? _**Because the IM in the thigh is used only for newborn babies accepted in the NICU/Nursery for Cord Care. They are being injected Vitamin K in the thigh because it's the only part with a mass of muscle easily detectable and the rest of their body is just brown fats.

Another reason I can think of of why it has to be in the butt is because someone with that attractive butt really has all the rights in the world to show it off. Hell, if I am Bryan Singer the butt will be a part of the cast, even just for special appearance in every season. And if I'm House, I am so not going to rest until that ass is mine.

Now, sorry for the delay.

On to the story.

**Title: **Perfection

**Author: **angcatalonan

**TV Show:** House, M.D.

**Pairing:** Cuddy/House (Huddy + someone)

**Timeline:** After "Who's Your Daddy" until maybe a few episodes on season 3 (in the later part of the story) where House can already walk without the cane… I am still downloading the episodes and have not watched it. I am just going to put a few detail that I know.

**Summary: **Cuddy graduated second in her class in med school. Someone is better than her and that someone is her ex-boyfriend missing in action for 13 years. Just when everything is as predictable as she wanted and all planned he came back. She was taken aback with shock so is House because all of a sudden everything about his relationship with Cuddy has restrictions. This summary must work because I am running out of words.

**Disclaimer: **I am Bryan Singer and I hate myself for letting the X3: Last Stand go for the love of Superman Returns. I am Hugh Laurie and the charismatic Dr. House who is so damn good in imitating American accent. I am Lisa Edelstein that owns a great butt that even James Bond will have his share of sleepless nights and bed wets.

**Claimer: **Cuddy's Dream Boy here is actually **my **Dream Boy, I am just lending him to her. Actually, both of them. House and Thorne.

* * *

CHAPTER 1

**The Anticipation of the Last Donor Applicant**

* * *

**HOUSE** managed to dodge every Cuddy sighting he has since morning. He knows that once she caught her, she will once again kill him with all the lectures not anymore about finishing clinic hours but about wearing a formal suit and attending the upcoming party. He doesn't give a damn to another human being with a blood almost similar in color of those with Vogler even if they have a lot of bucks in their petty pockets. 

A charitable institution from a wealthy business firm from EurAsia is willing to invest a whole lot of money for the nuclear research department of the hospital, according to Cuddy. They are also, according to her, is _"blindly willing to walk a fine line with fires in them"_ to sponsor him in all his _"innovative means"_ of diagnosing and coming up with a treatment for a patient. That is when she ended up not only managing the hospital and the college but also planning a ball for the representative of the firm for a fine-dine welcome party in the coming weekend.

He walked past a few third year med students in the hall on his way to the cafeteria when he found Cuddy lecturing one of them in the nurse's station with the patient's chart on her hand. Confident that she, being so drawn in educating idealistic doctors for the future will not be able to catch him watching her, he leaned on the wall directly adjacent to her back.

Cuddy suddenly turned and pointed one of her fingers to the intravenous fluid and side drip hanging by the side of the sleeping patient on the room across the hall as she breathe words barely recognizable to House as he concentrates in the fine lining of her lips as she speaks. The poor student is trying to answer her nagging questions regarding the patient and the present treatment mentioning also the importance of hydration when a nurse approached Cuddy. She excused herself from the discussion when she accepted the brown envelope and took the time to open it. In the envelope is another white envelope in which after Cuddy had read the address of whom it was from she dismissed the class and stormed off heading for the elevator.

House found it strange for Cuddy to do just that because after looking at his watch he realized that it is still almost one and a half hour before 12. Meaning it is too early for Cuddy to dismiss a class not even near for their lunch break. So aroused by curiosity he forgot the almost whole day of dodging Cuddy as he called out her surname so loud that almost everyone in the floor took the time to glimpse at him. Even Cuddy stared at him blankly as if completely lost when the elevator she is waiting for opened. She turned to get on it not waiting for him when he shouted again.

"I'm sorry for falling asleep during sex last night! Ok? I said I'm sorry!"

Cuddy's jaw dropped. She was so shocked and embarrassed that she forgot to close the elevator doors or even press a floor on the console. House was able to catch up and sneak in to the elevator while watching Cuddy turn red. All the students and floor nurses gaze at her with eyes wide open when he managed to press the close button.

"Need to talk…" he said right after the doors shut close.

Cuddy, still in disbelief of the humiliation, stared at House for the nonsense he pulled.

"How's **_my_** party doing? My tux will be delivered in your office before Friday…"

She withdrew her eyes from his direction and looked down in the floor, shaking her head.

"What? You have not invited my hooker? She is my gift to Mr. EurAsia Firm Rep's first night. Very irresponsible!"

"Shut up!"

"So that is how you treat the benefactor-magnet of this hospital!" Cuddy did not flinch.

"Is that my new law suit?" pointing his lips to the envelope she's holding. "Who is it this time?"

"Not yours," she snapped, pulling the envelope away from his grab range.

"Yours? You are being sued?" he asked with a face of a twelve year old exaggerating a bull question when the elevator door opened.

Cuddy's eyes narrowed. Then she immediately stepped out of the elevator as she speaks: "Never gonna happen. The suing and the---"_mouth motion_---sex," as the elevator door closes in his face.

**------------------------------**

**WILSON **is in the cafeteria when House appeared in the doorway. The day has been casually strange because a lot of Cuddy's third year med students are scattered all around the hospital. The food line is actually longer than usual and his lunch is taking more time than it has to. House made his way to him but positioned himself in his back in front of one of the first year ER resident. The resident moaned in contempt. That is when House faced him.

"Where is your esophagus?" he asked. Wilson made his own moaning.

"Right from my mouth down my hungry stomach," said the resident throwing House an I'm-not-an-idiot stare.

"What part of the heart is affected if I have a heart burn?"

"Go to the OPD Clinic if you need a consult. There is a Dr. House in there, quite good, so I've heard but narcissistic"

"No. Its an emergency, I went to the ER and found the ER doctor in the canteen. "

"Go, get yourself an ECG. I'm on a break."

"Idiot. Heartburn is pyrosis."

"I know that. I'm the doctor."

"So what part of the heart? These chest pain is killing me…" with some more acting.

"The ventricles---I want some lasagna, extra size, supreme cheese…"

"Wll I get myself some Digoxin, Dr. Moronic?" The resident's eyes snapped at him, he could not believe that the stranger just called him _dr. moronic_.

"Greg…" Wilson whispered in House's ear.

"No. Get yourself first an ECG. I know what I'm doing. I went to med school," the resident snorted.

"Yeah, I know that but sadly I went to med school too. And as I've heard heartburn IS pyrosis and both is GERD. Gastro-Esophageal Reflux D-something. Look that up on a book, moron." House said as he was taking up the lasagna that is being handed down to the resident. He took the fork and made a slice. While bringing slices after slices to his mouth as he explains. "It is usually an effect of pregnancy as the belly gets bloated, _chewing _the sphincter is being forced to open and the acidic gastric content _chewing_ from the stomach makes its way back to your esophagus. Since _chewing_ your esophagus is aligned in the pathway of your heart the symptom is chest pain described _chewing _with a burning feeling thus came the term, heartburn._ chewingchewingchewing_"

"Who the hell are you?"

"I am a doctor _chewing. _I am not pregnant_chewing_. I don't have _chewing _GERD!" He walked out after putting the empty lasagna plate in the resident's tray.

Wilson sighed. "Sorry, Dr. Santos. He is such an egoistic, narcissistic bastard."

"What was that?" Wilson asked House after taking some distance from the rest of the line.

"What a shame! Cuddy taught those med studs and when they take on their duties they end up not even knowing GERD!"

"Ah! I should have known it has something to do with Cuddy. So that's what's with all the gossip about everybody's opinion about falling asleep during sex is about… " Wilson said taking a bite from his own lunch tray.

"She got a letter in an envelope and acted out like a chicken."

"Sexy chicken, I must say."

"Sure. You know anything about it?"

"How would I know what is in a paper kept in an envelope delivered directly to her?"

"She asked you out once. On a date, you know."

"Your point?"

"You must know something..."

"Well, sorry to disappoint you, buddy, I know nothing," Wilson chewing.

"You must know something."

"I told you, I don't know---"

"You **must** know something," more of like an order than a question.

"Uh, no—why are you looking at me like that?"

House looked at him with puppy-like begging eyes.

"No," Wilson vehemently declared.

House looked at him this time with a threatening glare.

"NO!"

**------------------------------**

**CUDDY **is in her coffee table opening up the envelope once again. _This is just unbelievable. _

She once again stared at the information of the last sperm donor profile sent to her. _This man's IQ is way too high… higher than mine. He's about my age, took up med school from where I took it, graduated about the same time that I did. Only thing that gave him away is his ranking on graduation day. _

_First. He is First in his class in the University of Michigan about thirteen years ago. Took up specialization of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery in Ateneo de Manila in the Philippines. I think I know this guy. Can't be him… _

She was so deep in her thoughts that she didn't feel someone enter her office until Wilson cleared his throat. She almost jumps up in surprise only to realize that he is just a few inches from where she sits.

"I want to ask your opinion…uhm… about-ah-something…" Wilson stammered.

She returned the data back in the envelope as she composes herself to becoming the unbreakable hospital administrator and Dean of Medicine. "On what?"

"Uhm---Digital-Rectal-Exam?" Wilson shot a glimpse out of Cuddy's office where House is supposed to be watching. _Must be enjoying this, _he thought.

"I'm sorry?" Cuddy was somewhat taken aback in suspicion, "last time I checked you're the oncologist…"

"I---uh--- wanted to know something about milking the---uhm---prostate…" glimpsing again outside. Only right now he found no one at House's supposed-to-be position.

One of Cuddy's eyebrows rose while Wilson bit his lower lip.

"If you're gonna ask me about having House in my bed last night like he said before I enter the elevator door, it is so not true. The moment he said that is the moment he ruined my day---"

"I did not!" House shouted entering Cuddy's office with a bang on the door. "Your day is ruined by that envelop you're keeping in your lap! I hate people blaming me for things I did not do."

"Yeah, I forgot. Teen-agers have this crisis according to Erik Erikson about identity versus role confusion…" Cuddy barked back rising from her chair. "You are being confused on where you stand in my life!"

"Oh! And there is this according to the same psychosocial theorist you mentioned a crisis called generativity versus stagnation for old people in age bracket you are in!"

"Aherm!" Wilson gambled, risking his life in breaking into the cold psychoanalytical war. "Sorry for having to ask about the rectal exam…"

"I am _soo_ not stagnant!"

"You are _soo_ old!"

Cuddy's face turned to bright red up until the ear. Wilson grabbed House's arm forcefully to make him understand that they really should go.

"I am not going in your party! There is not enough hotdogs there to make me happy!"

"Go to hell for all I care!"

"Gotta go!" Wilson insisted. "The man in exam room two is freezing with his pants down… lubricant must've dried already…" dragging House's shirt desperately.

**------------------------------**

**IF **Wilson had been alive since 1945, he must have had a ground for comparison of which was far more explosive: Pearl Harbor Bombing signaling the beginning of World War II or House-Cuddy Turmoil just a few moments ago.

He considered himself again, for the ninth time, as the exorcist who was unable to drive the devil away. "I never should have asked about the rectal exam…"

"Like for the eighty-fourth time, you never should've looked at me from the inside of her office," House said not even lifting his gaze from the laptop computer in his office table.

"I never should have asked about the rectal exam…"

"Stop whining! It's Cuddy, tomorrow you are forgiven. Day after tomorrow it would feel like it never happened. The woman is as resilient as a bamboo tree and as forgiving as the heavenly Father."

"I NEVER SHOULD HAVE ASKED ABOUT THE DAMN RECTAL EXAM!"

Chase, Cameron and Foreman from the other room glimpsed at their direction. House drove his swivel chair near the glass pane and pulled the Venetian Blinds close.

"Look, it wasn't really that bad. We got something."

"**You** got something. I, on the other hand, have an ass to save every time we come across each other."

"Well, I'm the Messiah. I will save you from the fires of hell."

"With you is hell…"

"The name is Dr. Thorne Adham, a well-travelled Cardio-Thoracic Surgeon. Graduated first in his class in med school. Millionaire in every currency, family-acquired. Practiced mostly in Asian countries and travels all around the world for conventions. Given some humanitarian sort of award four times in a row almost every year."

"Where the freakin' hell did you get that?"

"Cuddy's table."

"When?"

"Remember when she threw me some Erikson thories? Caught a glimpse at the paper. Something with Michigan U., Medicine, Top Notcher around 13 years ago. What had me is the _very superior IQ_. Led me directly to him."

"You insulted Cuddy to get this? We know his name, so?"

"I don't want him around in my hospital."

"This is Cuddy's hospital."

"What I'm so curious about is that what are his files doing in Cuddy's table? Why did she acted out like a chicken after being handed down with the information?"

"I don't know. But I really never should have asked about the rectal exam. I should have asked something else!"

"My hundred bucks say he's the benefactor representative from EurAsia." _Why would he want to sponsor me? To totally ruin me? Schoolmates are bad asses!_

"My hundred bucks say he's a sperm donor!" Wilson said in a vain attempt to portray sarcasm.

House's head snapped. The realization suddenly got into him. _Bastard. _

**------------------------------**

**HOUSE **sat down at the edge of the hospital roof top. Thinking about Cuddy and Adham's possible offspring. Cuddy's height, personality and eye color is perfect. Adham's IQ, nose bridge and complexion being tan is perfect. Cuddy's celebrity standing in the medical profession and Adham's powerful wealth are other factors to add up in a life of perfection. _Where does that leave me?_

He grasped for breath. _What did I just say?_

"Hypothetically you met someone in your life that is so perfect that you wanted her to be yours---" Cuddy's voice bore through his solitude. He did not look at her standing in his back though he felt her there. He can smell the scent of her perfume: _Burberry. _"---then when all that you wanted nearly come to fulfillment, she drew herself away. You waited and waited until she returns but she did not until one day you accepted the fact that she can never be yours. Then at one time of vulnerability, you can get what you want from her, an opportunity to own a part of her. Would you grab that? Would you let it pass knowing that there might be no other chance?"

House stared at the hundred of meters down from the top of the building resisting the temptation to look at Cuddy and stare at all the perfection she owns that only he knows and not admit.

"Hypothetically, you grabbed that opportunity. You satisfied yourself and lived the rest of your life without regret. Would you be happy thinking that he should have gotten someone far more deserving of him than you are?" House shot back at her.

"Hypothetically, you let it pass. Hypothetically, you accepted that there will be no more together. What assurance does that give you that she will be getting that far-more-deserving-of-her-than-you? When deep inside you know that you're not perfect but all that you are, of what's left of who you are, are enough to make the perfect feeling together when you have each other?"

House's turned to face Cuddy, fast. He is suddenly confused of what they are talking about, whether its about him or about Cuddy or about Adahmh. He decided to walk away.

"That's why I'm single… I don't like perfection dilemmas…"

"Right. I get that." Cuddy smiled at his direction as he turn away.

"Listen to me, Cuddy. Go home. Get some sleep. I don't want my date for the weekend's party to have a week-pounds of black bags under her eyes. Don't embarrass me in front of my fans."

"I thought you're not going?"

"What? And miss all the tender juicy hotdogs? Besides, you had just apologized to me begging me on your knees to escort you in the ball, who am I to not succumb to that invitation?"

**

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****P.S.** This is my first fic ever written in this site since my registration around 3 years ago so pls be kind. No flames and fumes, criticisms are welcome. And forgive my grammar, English is just a second language. I am very good though in Tagalog (language in the Philippines used mostly in the metro Luzon). Please review so I will have the drive to get on with the story. No good deed will go unrewarded, the good Lord will bless and keep you. Yay! 


	2. Reunion of the Olympians

**NOTE:**I had just reposted chapter 2. The last one kind a looked ruined. Not pleasing at all to the eye. I was so excited then to post another chapter after I finished it and skipped the editing. I am not really adding up another info or story lines here. However, further notes may be helpful or necessary for you to read. I just edited and reposted it. Reading further is not really necessary. I just think I owe this to those who have read it and will read it in the future.

Disclaimer about me not owning the whole concept of house md stays.

The thanking for the first 2 people who reviewed stays.

**IMPORTANTE: **I have decided too to put spoiler alert on chapters that may have spoilers but I swear I don't know a lot from season 3. The pacing of my story is really slow, so don't worry that I'll ruin the whole storyline of season 3 for you. I am actually doing this for **Tricki** and for those who have the same reason as her for not reading. Please enjoy.

**CHAPTER2 SPOILER ALERT: **I think there is none unless you have not watched Who's Your Daddy and No Reason from season 2. This happens in between the two episodes. Scout's Honor!

**ADDITIONAL: **I'd like to note some mistakes I may have committed carelessly regarding some info about IM injections. I'd like to point out that one RN reviewer's explanation on why it has to be on the rear and not on the deltoid is much more accurate and reasonable than mine in the previous chapter's author's notes. Please check out the review page for her FYI. And since you're already there, pls do me a favor and post a review. Lots of thanks.

* * *

CHAPTER 2

**Reunion of the Olympians **

* * *

**CUDDY's** lips spread into a smile as she heard House quote while she steps down from the stairs of her home:

"**The breath of the west wind bore her,**

**Over the sounding sea,**

**Up from the delicate foam,**

**To wave-ringed Cyprus, her isle."**

House cannot take his stare off of Cuddy. She is wearing a golden-green cotton, silk, or nylon fabric with a dense, soft, usually lustrous pile, which he assumes has a plain underside, outlined with laces in the neckline and lower edges down her flawless knees. Her back-length hair is in waves, resting solemnly in the right side of her shoulders while the left has a few pearls attached on it giving her a more divine look.

"The beautiful, golden goddess that sprang from the foam of the seas, Hephaestus must be so envious of me now." House no longer fought the escape of a sincerely handsome grin from his face.

"Citing some Homeric Hymns for me as I go down to hold your hand is quite romantic if I must say," Cuddy timorously commented. He felt his legs weaken and bore half of his weight to his cane.

He is wearing a black tuxedo; though some of his beard is left unmoved it doesn't almost negatively contribute to the fact that he, at that point in time, looks nice.

"This formal set of clothing for an evil man like me that includes an elegantly styled, usually black jacket and matching trousers, with a band of silk down each leg, bow tie, and cummerbund should do the deception. I should look plausible if I am to escort the great Dean of Medicine," he commented while bringing more flushing in Cuddy's face.

"I think the hoax is working. You look angelic tonight," Cuddy praised him. It's his turn now to be embarrassed. His uneasiness caused to elicit a soft chuckle from Cuddy. Instead of looking down he let one more peek glide through Cuddy's figure.

After recovering from her joyous giggle, she turned to look at House again only to catch him surveying every inch of her. Both their eyes caught each other while both of them are trying so hard to analyze what is in both of their eyes. House's look conveyed all the tenderness he felt for her, she should know that.

An awkward moment of silence floated in the atmosphere. Nobody attempted to move an inch and break the connection. They are so lost in each other that none of them wanted to let this end.

Until House cleared his throat, "Green fits you. It—uh—reflects your eyes." During the past moment of stillness, House's mind raced against his own heartbeat. Feeling such sensation caused him to panic and disconnect for whatever it is that is taking over him.

Its Cuddy's turn now to withdraw, "My eyes are not green."

"Yet they are not solidly blue though. Your eyes, it—uh, kind of glows or reflect what you wear."

Another silence, only now, nobody attempted to stare at each other. Both are either staring in mid air or through and through on furniture.

"So, shall we go then?" Cuddy tried to shake the tension away.

"Yes, yes. Of course," House limped his way to the door to open it for her. After taking a coat from her stand, she smiled elegantly to him as if thanking him only in a brief moment. She suddenly stopped dead on her tracks after seeing House's motorcycle parked at her grass yard. She briskly threw House an accusing look, which he dismissed with a boyish smirk.

"What? You expect me to rent you a limo on our way to the hotel? You don't pay me that much."

"No. Actually, I thought we'd be taking a cab," she said laced with sarcasm. _Really, expect Gregory House to ruin a night as tantalizing as this_. She sighed, "In that case, I'm driving."

She gestured to turn around briskly to claim her car keys from the back of her main door, when House pulled one of her arm delicately towards him. She looked at him confused. He lifted his other hand and put it in his mouth. She realized what he was up to when after he whistled loudly trice; a black three-door limousine appeared in her driveway.

Her shocked expression completed House's day. She stared at him in disbelief.

"Don't flatter yourself too much. I'm sending the receipt in your office first thing on Monday," he said, holding her soft hands while assisting her as she enter the limo.

-------------------------

**CAMERON, **Foreman, Chase and Wilson are already in the party when House and Cuddy arrived. Their stunt of coming together sort of incited a notion again among co-workers about what they do on stolen moments when they are alone together.

Wilson assessed her, "Lisa, you're just so gorgeous…"

Cuddy smiled at Wilson's remark as she motioned to kiss her friend on the cheek. House saw Foreman nod and Cameron smile in agreement; Chase on the other hand has an expression of leer in his youthful face.

"_**And the Hours golden wreathed**_

_**Welcomed her joyously."**_

"I can smell lust from where I stand…" House hissed at him, away from earshot. That is when Chase somewhat realized the feeling of flushing in his face. All the while he didn't notice that his little crush on his boss's boss may be that visible.

The hours went on; House had not left Cuddy's side since their arrival. Usually in the hospital he would walk away from her in the middle of a conversation, but right now, there is something about her that he wanted to claim. Right at that moment, he is almost acting possessive.

Cuddy, though, doesn't seem to notice that every table she settles in House goes along with her. He fetches her drinks and tells her jokes. Every once in a while he lets go of malicious comments regarding what he know on other doctors present as a guest.

Wilson, plus the ducklings, casually shares meaningful glances to each other every time House would lean on to Cuddy and almost whispers in her ear and smells her hair. Wilson is wearing a deep frown in his forehead while one of Foreman's eyebrows is in a rise. Cameron is so puzzled that she forgot how many martinis are there that she had already taken in. Chase stares around the room recognizing how many people are there that are really watching House's strange behavior.

"I think he's really hitting on her…" Wilson said, mystified. "Why suddenly?"

Foreman, shot Wilson a look: "Some Shrink must have made a miracle."

"He is so not healthy, maybe some febrile reaction to microorganism he might have caught from his exposure in the hospital." Cameron said sipping another martini. "Chase, when he approached you, Were you able to feel that his temperature is somewhat elevated? Can you approximate?"

"And both of them wonder why everybody thinks they had sex!" Chase commented heatedly. Three heads shot at him. "What? I think House is just leaning so often at her to take a glimpse at her cleavage..."

Foreman tried to consider Chase's explanation while narrowing his eyes, "Maybe so. Neckline's quite low."

"Or maybe she just really smells nice. When she kissed me in the cheek I smelled---" Wilson inhaled deeply "---vanilla. Body wax or bubble bath?"

"Bubble bath," Cameron replied.

"Sassy…"

"Excuse me, sirs and madam," interrupted a waiter.

"No more martini!" Cameron ordered.

"Sure, madam," the waiter answered, "but I have come to ask about a different matter. _pause _Who among you is Dr. Lisa Cuddy?"

Wilson's senses returned back to him and he considered being slightly cautious, "Who is asking?"

"The EurArasia Business Firm representative called from his suite. He asked for her to have a private meeting first with him before facing the crowd."

All four of them straightened up in their chair, "What time did he arrive?"

"Just an hour ago, sir."

"I'll call her for you," Wilson rose from his chair and went to House and Cuddy's direction. After hearing what Wilson has to say, the laughter from Cuddy's face was wiped off and her cold façade started to be in place once again. The three of them looked at the waiter's direction. Cuddy went up from her chair and House straightened his back in the rest.

Cuddy composed herself, went to meet the waiter, headed to the bar and accepted the phone receiver. She talked with someone on the line for quite some time and headed to the comfort room.

House noticed that she retouched her make-up after she returned and lay in a message for Wilson to transmit for the rest of the board members. She did not even bother to throw House a stare before she approached the same waiter again as both made their way out of the function room and into the suite floors.

"_**They clad her in raiment immortal,**_

_**And brought her to the gods. "**_

-------------------------

-------------------------

**HOUSE **has been gurgling his rum for about 1 minute until he decided to swallow it.

"Grab yourself some toothbrush so that your gurgling will work," Foreman commented.

"Can't brush my teeth yet, dad, 'coz I'm still eating." House barked back at Foreman while he points at his plate of dinner. The later dismissed him by just chewing another bite of the tenderloin and making a face.

"Quit it," Cameron begrudged both men as she eats her own food.

"It has been two-hour and a half!"

"Meeting might have been long. She is probably eating dinner with the Rep," Chase commented and earned him a sardonic face from House.

House stood up from his chair and threw the table napkin in the table as he walk away from his group. All that he took is his rum glass and headed for the bar. He stayed there, order some more rum and proceed to gurgling it. Wilson approached the bar and ordered some liquor for himself.

"I'm bored," House declared.

Wilson looked at him, faking an innocent expression: "Why? Your date stood you up?"

House shot him a devilish look, "What is taking her so long?"

"Dinner must be much better in a presidential suite."

"You shouldn't have let her go there alone…"

"Why? Are you afraid that the hospital administrator's dinner with the benefactor representative might go wet and nasty?" Wilson pushed his luck.

"I'm having a moment here. Don't mess with me."

"Oh… Developing a thing for Cuddy?"

"Excuse me?" House jumped off, looking at Wilson as if he had gone mad.

"You should have seen yourself. If you would have worn a mask and acted like how you had just acted around Cuddy, everybody will think you are hitting on her. Everybody thinks you are so head over heels on her. " Wilson re-enacted even, "Great Wall of China must not have one hell of a foundation…"

"Armed men posted every twenty-feet are still getting their paychecks and the Wall is still visible from the moon---" House is interrupted when Cuddy surprised the whole crowd by entering the main door of the function room and headed for the stage, settled in the podium and spoke a few words of greeting to the crowd.

_"**Wonder sized them all as they saw**_

**_Violet-crowned Cytherea."_**

House does not seem to notice anything more the moment he saw Cuddy enter the room. Something seems to change in such a short course. The eyes that he caught himself staring at so many times that night seemed to lose its sparkle. Her lips that laughed at every perverted joke he threw seemed to lose its color. Something must have happened to make her mood get so low.

He noticed a man shaking hands on his way to the stage. Right there and then, he thought he already knew what has happened. The man is almost as tall as him but much more muscular. His hair is thicker and black. Unmistakably, from the smug face to the huge ego, Thorne Adhamh.

The man kissed Cuddy in the cheeks after he reached the stage and held her hand to receive the microphone. The man smiled at her whole-heartedly. Cuddy shies away. Right there and then, House knew, Cuddy is lost, floating adrift.

_Aphrodite might end up marrying the bastard Hephaestus once again._ House felt a sudden surge of blood rise up his head.

He held the rum glass once again, looked at Wilson, raised it in the air and said: "Never gonna let that happen," then drank it straight.

**

* * *

**

**Please Review. Make me happy. **

**What do you think? Do you think everyone are still in character? Suggestions are encouraged. Criticisms must be constructive. Spread the Huddy love in the world!**

**Wait: **Hymn Reference about the birth/spring of Aphrodite from the seas, I used Edith Hamilton's Mythology: Timeless tales of Gods and Heroes page 32. And anyone, who wants Lisa Edelstein pixs that I used as a reference in this fic, the one where she wore the green silk and goddess-like pose, might kindly ask me to send it to them. I'll be more than willing to share. I have it actually as a wallpaper in my desktop. I think it's a famous picture of hers in the net.


	3. Cues and Clues

**AUTHOR'S NOTES **to nurse** recklesskellie, **thanks for pointing out my mistake. Though I already cleared that up on my reposted chapter 2, I'd still want to admit that I completely missed the pituitary and the whole flow chart Pilliteri displayed in explaining the connection of the ovaries and uterus with the hypothalamus, with the GnRH, with the FSH, and ultimately with LH. I sincerely thank you and I stand to be corrected. But will there be, by any chance can I save myself by pointing out that don't you think the fertility meds really does take effect first on the ovaries and uterus that relays the stimulation on the hypothalamus and pituitary through biofeedback or the ability of the body to self-regulate then soon after take effect again on the said organs? If I have a point, its fulfilling but if I still don't, its ok. Learning is a good motivation to take humility as a virtue :'D. Thank you for paying attention and P.S. for you, I hope you'd not mind telling me how you managed to inject yourself? I'm curious. SubQ self-injection is quite easy but are you talking about IM injection on yourself? On where?

Another thing, is there an existing Huddy community here? I want to join. Please tell me how to get in.

**DISCLAIMER: **I don't own House MD. I don't earn money from this, just reviews.

**SPOILER RATINGS: **timeline is still in between Who's Your Daddy and No Reason. Enjoy. Please Review. Please give me what I deserve. And, I'm dropping the last "h" in Adham's surname. It feels and sounds wrong and redundant.

**LEGEND: **--------- scene break; _oOo_ House's memories

* * *

**CHAPTER 3 **

**Cues and Clues**

* * *

**DR. SANTOS **lightheartedly sipped his cappuccino after trimming the Irish crème and chocolate sparkle on its top with the tip of his tongue. His ER duty is about to start in the next hour so he decided to wait it up on a bench outside of a coffee shop overlooking the hospital. His thoughts are adrift when a single, aged hand snatched his hotdog sandwich from his other hand. He looked up at the man with an expression of infuriation when he immediately recognizes whose mouth took a bite out of it. He sighed in submission and decidedly remained calm and quiet.

"Why does it seem that every time I sort of find you, you seem to be in a break?" House took the initiative to open a conversation in between munching.

"Because I really am on a break and besides, right now, my duty hours hadn't started yet…"

Santos gestured at the stall owner to provide him another sandwich for himself and a cup of hot coffee for House.

House made a face and said: "How thoughtful of you… Uh---I want it black. No cream. No sugar."

"You don't drink black coffee in your office." Santos pointed out to him.

"How in the world did you come up with that idea about my coffee?"

"I watched you fooling around all the time and watched you smothering people with your damned wit since after you pulled the Dr. Moronic bluff on me in the cafeteria last week."

"Oh, you fell in love with me?" House said, sarcastically.

"GERD doesn't happen only to people who are pregnant," Santos told House in a matter-of-factly tone, eyeing him at the edge of his eyesight while sipping his cold coffee. "Heartburn, as its mostly used term, is approximately experienced by one in ten adults once a week. There are a lot of reasons as of why the esophageal sphincter may relax."

"Like?" House said in a humor-me tone.

"Substances found in some spicy foods, alcohol or in cigarettes may cause the muscle to relax. Overeating or being overweight can increase pressure in the abdomen and stomach enough to weaken the sphincter. As a secondary problem, it may be due to hiatal hernia that is a condition in which a portion of the stomach protrudes through the same opening in the diaphragm that the esophagus passes through to connect to the stomach. Oral contraceptives, asthma medications and some heart medications can also be a cause."

"Diagnostic exams?" He asked while the stall owner delivers them their orders.

"Endoscopy, obviously."

"What if I'm the patient and I don't want something as invasive as that?"

"Well, knowing you, I'll call him stupid and prescribe the meds even without confirmation of GERD on exams?"

"Stop looking down on me, moron. Get him an order first for a Barium X-ray of the stomach and esophagus to rule out other problems. It is only then that the endoscopy can be insisted. Then take tissue and fluid samples for laboratory tests---" House's eyes narrowed after noticing two people going into the direction of the coffee shop.

Santos noticed how immediate the smug look in House's face disappeared after seeing Cuddy and Adham walk in to head for a table inside the shop. He stared at House for a couple of seconds in silence to see how many reactions he can elicit from such a conceited man. The couple is both quiet though it can be felt in the atmosphere a certain eerie of awkwardness.

House was detached from his observation after he hyper-sensitively felt Santos sigh. "What?" He shot at him.

"You are so in love with her."

"Pardon me?" with eyes rolling.

"Whenever she walks into a room or gets near you, your respiration increases, your pulse---" he grabbed House's hand drastically and felt his radial "---races into almost a hundred and twenty each minute. Your pupils dilate and the colorization of your ears turns decidedly orange. Until I noticed the pattern, I thought you're suffering a symptom of some strange disease."

"Humor me."

"The clues are there for everyone to see, though not in the same diagnostic details as I see it." He further stated, getting the best reaction he could hope for from House.

"So you're a diagnostician now? What? You want to get in my department?" House jerked defensively.

----------------------

**CAMERON** was surprised to see Cuddy enter the female restroom as she exist a cubicle from the far end of the room. Cuddy locked the door and failed to notice her standing in there with an expression of amazement and confusion. When somebody knocked and a female voice asked to enter, Cuddy shouted back saying: "Go find another rest room! Every floor in a hospital has one, for Christ's sake!"

"Dr. Cuddy…"

Lisa's head turned to finally notice her: "Dr. Cameron, I'm sorry. I thought---"

"You thought you are alone in here," Allison finished her sentence for her as she washes her hands in the running water of the faucet. Lisa held both her hands to her face and inhaled deeply. Cameron somewhat felt that something is bothering her.

"Are you alright Dr. Cuddy?"

"I'm fine."

"Foolish of me to ask! You are always fine, even though it's plain obvious that you're not." Lisa was startled at her unexpected outburst. Allison is surprised even to herself for bursting like that once again to the top woman in charge of the whole hospital. She bowed her head and looked at Lisa in the eye as if apologizing: "I'm sorry. I know you have a lot of things to think about and consider. That is very rude for me to---"

"I was offered the best offer a man could possibly offer a woman!"

Allison was speechless for a while; not knowing what among everything is she pertaining to.

"**Somebody** asked me to marry him." Lisa put on the toilet seat cover in one of the cubicle and sat there. She felt like her knees are trembling.

Allison does not know how to reply. Lisa never opens up on her. She doesn't know anything about her.

"He is like everything I could ever hope for. He wants me, willing to give whatever it is I wanted, willing to settle on grounds I---"

"Are you saying that this **somebody** offered you a convenient wedding/marriage something?" Allison was somewhat shocked. She knows that Lisa was in some desperate situation to find belongingness with someone or be in a relationship but never really considered her settling for something like that.

"Arrangement, actually" Lisa once again bowed her head and buried her face to her palms. She decided on opening up her soul to her: told her about her age, her fears, and her plans for in vitro fertilization.

"Where did you meet him?" is all that she can say. She assumes that Lisa is actually considering the offer because she bothered to lock herself in the female restroom and looking at her right now in chaos with her own rational self is a devastating view.

"College days; we are together, in a relationship or something almost like it, at med school. I don't know what happened, he left after graduation. No words for explanation. No promises. No goodbyes. All of a sudden, after almost thirteen years of absence, he pronounced he is coming back to me."

"What? Feelings of loving him again suddenly rushed through you but you are afraid he would do the things he did to you back then?"

"He said he will never leave my side again, that's why the marriage is part of the offer. The whole deal will be played at my own rules; at least that's what he told me. He also told me he still loves me, everything he say and do at this point in time are said and done for the main purpose of winning me over. To have me back…'

"And what you feel about him right now is what this emotional meltdown is about?" Allison's jaw almost dropped. Actually, she thinks it is a romantic thing for a man to do. That is, to come back for someone he left far behind in his past and decided on spending the rest of his life with her. She attempted to analyze what kind of things Lisa must be considering right now and came up with a question: "Uh--you are not in a relationship with **someone** right now, are you?"

Lisa's face darkened with shadows of sadness even more: "No."

"Oh, god!" Allison knew she bumped into something. "But you are hoping to be in one? With **someone**? Not with the **somebody **who offered you this good deal and still loves you?"

Lisa's eyes are reflective now of tears powerfully accumulating in volume at its borders, wanting to freely overflow from her, wanting to be liberated along with her sentiments. Allison could now feel what kind of turmoil she is in: having to choose between a man whom she once loved and presently admitted to be still in love with her; and a man she might want to be with but can't because of some unknown reason or circumstances.

"One reason, I considered an in vitro fertilization on a clinic with anonymous donors, is because I don't want attachments. I cannot live with complementing someone. I have lived with myself for too long that I have already forgotten what it feels to be with someone…I couldn't even interpret this emotion I feel whenever we are together anymore…"

"Who?" Allison is baffled on whom among **somebody **and **someone **is it that Lisa is talking about.

"**Someone**," she said quietly; feeling embarrassed. "Damn him for making me feel this way about him while all he does is mess around and get into my head. Whatever he does, he just makes me **almost** love him …" She paced down the bathroom floor while tears are now flowing down her fine cheeks.

"How about **somebody**?

"Whenever I'm with him, I felt needed. I felt wanted. He is too good to be true. He is like this perfect dream I had since I was little. I had him on college. Lost him but he ended up fighting back to have me. I know it sounds cheap and corny, but it is like he is wanting so hard to be the prince to wake me. He wanted to make things right for me. He wants to make me happy and make up for the all the sadness he cost me. He makes room for me. He makes things happen for me. He'd settle for anything from me only if it means I'd consider loving him again…"

"And, you are loving him again?"

"He is not that difficult to resist not loving."

"But this **someone **makes it difficult for you?" Allison dared to ask. Lisa nod in defiance. "Well, you can't feel the same thing on both people. You got to know which one among what you want will make you happy, which one among the two you can live with in your life without regret."

"How would I know I never will regret in the future who I choose now?"

"I guess, whatever your choice is going to be, you would just have to make it right."

----------------------

**HOUSE **stood by the corridors before the stairwell that junctions the hospital with the college campus for almost three hours. He laid in a message for Cuddy on where to find him to every nurse's station he passed by on his way here to serve as a tease.

He searched his pants pocket for his Vicodin bottle. He is waiting for Cuddy to find him. He knew she was going to be so furious to find out that he did not show up on clinic duty for today. She is that predictable for him. Wilson is in this Breast Cancer Prevention seminar in New York while Cuddy seemed to be so busy mingling with the EurAsia rep the whole day because he never had a sight of her in her office. By all means, he is the only redeemer the OPD department will have for today but he intentionally took off and has no intention of admitting that to Cuddy.

The memories from this morning rushed back at him. Blood tinged with anger rose up in his head which caused it to feel bloated. He tossed the Vicodin bottle open and added up a few more extra milligrams to his usual dose. He drank it straight, pushed by his tongue and lubricated by his saliva. He almost choke when he heard Cuddy's voice from the nearest nurse's station. He jolted up and started to walk heading for the stairways door.

"House!"

_Cuddy cue_, House said to himself and pretended to not hear her outrage. All that he is thinking about now is Santos's instructions from their last conversation:

_------------oOo-------------_

"_So you're a diagnostician now? What? You want to get in my department?" House jerked defensively. _

"_No. I don't even want get near you. Moreover work for you, I would just accept the fact that I'll rot in the ER. And besides, you always attract negative energy." Santos pushed his luck on House, who is still busy eyeing Cuddy and Adham who sits in the inside of the coffee shop. Santos intentionally voiced a loud "tsk, tsk. Tsk," in House's face. _

"_You are so wrong in thinking that I am in love with the she-devil Cuddy," House said, biting Santos' bait but still attempting to read their lips as the speak. Adham looked at Cuddy with passion while Cuddy seems to be feeling lost with her thoughts. She is extraordinarily quiet. Usually, she is pretentious and outspoken but with Adham she looks like and acts reserved. _

"_Yeah, but what I'm going to be so right about is that **he** is so in love with **her**." _

_House eyed him with an evil-eye. _

"_Hard to miss," Santos said dismissing the threatening look on House's face. _

"_Okay!" House stood up. "I'm leaving this otiose existence of yours. Surely, you will rot in the ER and I give you through the power bestowed upon me by darkness, **my** negative energy be with you..."_

_------------oOo-------------_

"**House!"**

" 

Cuddy called out for the second time. House went in to grab the lever opening the stairway door. Cuddy rushed in to catch up on him. House could feel her exhale loudly in irritation.

"As much as I wanted to do nasty with you and your fun bags, I don't have the luxury of time for this," House taunts her.

"Hey, Leg-puller! I am the one who doesn't' have the time for this… For chasing after you, I mean."

Once he's in and soon after he heard the door shut from behind Cuddy, he faced her with a drop dead serious look: "What did you just call me?"

Cuddy stopped in her tracks as House abruptly face her. The realization of what words she chose to name-names on House precipitously came into her consciousness. "I said leg-puller…"

"You think mocking what **you** did to my leg is supposed to make me roll down and hug my abdomen in laughter?" House assaulted her. His face is now only three inches from her face. She can feel his breath from her nose. He can smell the aroma of her sweat. House absent-mindedly looked down on her lips.

Cuddy's face was blanched when she reached down to touch his hand. "I'm sorry about the word I used. I did not intend to---"

He looked at his wrist watch and saw its arms positioned somewhere around two minutes more before 8PM. House grew more determined to carry on with the instructions from Santos. He felt strange when he decided on taking his plan into consideration. But he is getting more and more curious on what is going to happen:

_------------oOo-------------_

"_I am taking **your** negative energy with me only if it'll mean that what I planned for you tonight will work out just fine," Santos rose up his own chair so that both of them are now up. _

" 

"_Huh?" House cleverly twitched. _

"_I don't usually give unsolicited advices but I am suggesting this to you…" Santos said taking his wallet out to pay for the coffee and sandwiches they ordered. He laid in the bills down the small tray. Searched on his coat again and took out a PSP2. He gave it to House and said: "You can take someone you want to be with the whole night tonight in the stairways that bridges the hospital with the college at around 8 PM exactly. You can take one of your younger doctors with you or you can take **her**," glimpsing at Cuddy's direction, "tonight is a big night for them. And uh---remember numbers 45, 89 and 96, those are the only ones with keys sticking under the metal. Trust me." _

"_You are an ER doctor who doesn't initially recognize GERD. You've got a lot of self-confidence to ask me to trust you." _

"_Think whatever you want to think. But if you decided on it, don't be late. Don't stick your cane on the door locks," then winks. _

_------------oOo-------------_

House stared longer than he thought on Cuddy's lips.

She is now conscious of his intent look on her face. "What I meant about leg-puller is teaser, joker, mocker, clown---"

A loud simultaneous metal click from feet up and down below was heard all over their heads. A memory of something Cuddy must've remembered hasted through her. Her face from being blanched turned to completely washed-out. Although House felt lost, he put on his mastered poker face.

"What?" he demanded on her.

"Tonight at 8 is the initial testing of the new computerized time-lock-down system for the college I approved last three weeks ago," she said her voice almost trailing off. "Now, there's no way we can go out.."

"Christ!" House blurted out. _How in the world did that ER resident knew about this?_

"No. How could this happen to me? How could I forget? Not, tonight, please." She blurted out.

"Why? Hot date, Dr. Cuddy?"

"Should be more than that!"

"Tsk, tsk, tsk… Seems to me that the only date both of us are having tonight are each other…"

"Shut up for one moment, House and let me think about how we'll be out of here."

"You said its computerized and its time-locked, so I assume this kind of lock opens up on its own on its own time," staring at Cuddy with a face saying I-am-so-smart-to-figure-that-out.

"Yes, tomorrow at 8AM. I really have to get out of here, now."

"Okay. You think. You figure a way out. Take your time. I am not really in a hurry…" House said, sitting on a stair step. He smiled inwardly. _Good thing we're stuck. Should be more than a date, huh? Rot there waiting until 8 tomorrow! Your little gig would have to wait._ He grinned devilishly.

Cuddy rolled her eyes to him, why on earth she somewhat have the feeling that House planned for this little locked down party? She sighed. Or maybe, this is just one game fate has laid on them. Maybe, this is just one of the cues and clues she was dying to find out.

**

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****Post Script: **Please be kind. Please love me. Give me lots of reviews so I may have the fuel to finish the next chapter about them being stuck in the stairways the whole night. Please, please, pretty, please. 


	4. Cinderella Complex

**AUTHOR'S NOTES 1: **Chapter 4, thanks for waiting. Thanks for reviewing the previous chapter. Its Christmas eve right now, no party. Home alone. Happy life. Anyway, what really makes me happy is you clicking that review button and posting some message for me. I am actually dividing this stairwell story into two or three. I have to establish a lot of the plot here and put some really cute moment in between House and Cuddy. So they would have to be stuck there for quite some time… Does anyone of you have any spoilers on what will happen to Huddy this season three? Pls PM me… I have watched the first six episodes. Very cute

**DISCLAIMER: **I am not sad. I am not missing my missing cat. Somebody loves me. Somebody longs for me tonight. It's the truth. Oh, House, not mine. . **(12-24-2006: Started writing about it but did not finish, TBC tomorrow.)**

**AUTHOR'S NOTES 2: **This Christmas day, I actually feel better. I'd like to thank the two people who reviewed the HuddyFic I posted last night **_HouseAddiction_** and **_emotikka_**. You might want to check it out yourselves; it's entitled **Not Everybody Lies**, oneshot. Hope you'll be happy with it. All I want to do is make all the Huddy lovers happy with me as I feel happy on knowing they are there. Care Bears.

**SPECIAL THANKS: **(Please let me do this, for the spirit of Christmas. Let me get away with this.)

**_HouseAddiction_ – **Thank you so much for the criticism. My problem with tense consistency is exactly the thing I am so worried about and you confirming it kind of made me feel bad. I mean not bad as in bad. I mean I felt embarrassed that I still make such mistakes, but I don't feel bad as in so bad. I feel **enlightened**, actually. I don't take it against you; I am actually inspired from it and kind of admired you for saying it to me that kindly. I am hitting on the grammar books again, you know. Thank you so much. Hugs and Kisses. You are like my hero now. I hope you wouldn't mind if I come running to you again for some consult. You're such a joy.

**_recklesskellie_** – like, my favorite RN in the site! I am still thanking you for watching over me like that. You know, with all the med stuff and you actually putting me in author alert are big things. Thank you for deliberately reviewing my work. You always make me feel happy. Wait, are you a US RN, because you know, I have plans of actually working there… I hope we'll see each other in the future…

**_LindafromItaly_** – You are very kind. I went back on stories I have read before, you know to catch up making reviews. I went nuts feeling bad on hitting their pages and reading their stories and not reviewing. So I tried to find all those again to post a review and a lot of those Huddy fics I went, you posted a review. You are such a writer's advocate. I love you for that. And the fact that you're actually the first one who submitted a review for my first story made you look more adorable for me. Extra credit points for you there. Inspiring. Love you for that.

**_Tobylove_** and **_gabiroba_** – Thanks for the support and reviews. Thanks for having this story on alert. I really really really really hope I will not let you down. I'd take anything you say. Hugs and kisses.

**_ltdanbandfan_** and **_samanthaon_** and **_Poukae_** – Thanks for the reviews. Hope you guys will like this next chapter. Hugs and kisses. Hope you'll tell me what you think about this again. Whether good or bad.

**_Nofret_**and **_Tellym_**and **_graybaby1_** and **_loveshouse_** – Thanks for putting the story on alert. I hope you'll enjoy and not get tired of reading it. I also hope so that you'll find the time to post a review and tell me what you think. Whatever it is, just to improve the story, I'll take it. Love you all.

and of course to **_Tricki_** who is like my soul mate. Thanks for loving Julianne Moore, shipping huddy and cath/gil and a lot, lot more. I'll confess that I was actually tempted on copying your profile page entries and post it in mine because the idea are so identical that I couldn't figure out which one tells something about me or you… Just kidding about the stealing part and I hope you'll drop by here.

Lastly, to a personal friend **_Yasmin_**, who pays attention to all my babble about House MD and reads almost all of my Huddy fics soon after it's done. Her tolerance of me must be running thin most of the time that is because she never really has seen a single episode. Actually that is because right now, she's still a Grey's Anatomy addict, well that's thanks to me too. Rock on, girl!

There, I think I did not miss on to someone. And-oh, to all the **anonymous** readers who hit this and read this story: I'd still say thank you. Same as to #6, I'll wait up on you guys to post a review or just a comment or even criticism. Just no flames, I won't fight back, you wouldn't get any satisfaction for picking a fight with me. I am a chicken. Ok. I am all geared and ready to take on writing the story. Merry Christmas to all; loving each of you more and more.

**SPOILER THINGY:** Still the same as before. No season 3.

**CORRECTION:** and oh---that PSP2 I mentioned in the previous chapter. It was a mistake, it was suppose to be a PSP. Sorry for the term and the confusion I've cost you.

* * *

**CHAPTER 4**

**Cinderella Complex**

* * *

_**LISA **heard the waiter knock three times on the door before he opened it and instructed her to enter. With a nod, she dismissed him and gracefully entered. She glanced at the whole room and admired the grandeur paraded in front of her. The furnishing is regal and the furniture is majestic; simply implying that the person occupying the suite is not one to be taken plainly. _

_She took a few more steps in; still nobody seems to feel her coming. Only when she reached the core of all the grandeur around her that she notice a man sitting at one end of a romantically presented dining table. _

_His hair is as dark as the evening sky; his complexion is Asian-tan; his eyes are one of those unforgettable hazelnut colored, hawk-like shaped eyes she had seen from long ago. She was shocked that the presence of this man after such long absence would let her heart leap with thrill in such short notice. Until a certain familiar pang of pain onslaught her…_

_The man remained calm while she wrestles with her own emotions. She looked away; he stood up and moved towards her direction. He attempted to shake the tension off them by smiling attractively in front of her revealing two irresistible dimples embedded on both his cheeks. He took her hand and held her chin to make her gaze level to his. He rested a delicate kiss on her hand and whispered: "You look stunning, Dr. Cuddy." _

"_So are you, Dr. Adham,." was all that she can say. He assisted her to the table, pulled the scroll-back side mahogany chair and waited for her to settle. She breathed a barely audible "Thank you" as he proceeded to settling on his own side of the table. _

_Adham tried to idle away the hours by asking her little details regarding the settled arrangements she had accomplished with his firm. She frequently dismisses most of the conversation by simply answering his designed close-ended questions with yes or no; or by simply pretending not to hear most of what he is saying. What drawn her undivided attention to him at the later part of dinner is when he opened up the topic regarding an envelop he instructed her cryogenic clinic to intentionally send to her. He said he wanted to be a part of her life now more than ever. He said he wanted to father her child. He said furthermore that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. _

_She let go the silver utensils in her grip weakly and pressed the napkin to her lips. She looked at him straight in the eye, aggrieved. She chuckled sarcastically and said: "You left. Wilted flowers you gave me from months ago then are still on their vases atop my escritoire even after you're gone. As I hang around for the final fall, sitting on the sofa, waiting for you to call me even for you to just say goodbye, my heart waited upon the phone for you. It never came, you never called. I dreamt, yearned, hoped it would ring and it would bear news of you. I held the phone every night after it hit me that you may not have the intention or even the guts to call me at that time. Each time, my fingers trembled when I wanted to dial the numbers and call you myself although I would not just sit on it neglecting the fact that you actually stepped on my pride. You treated me like trash. Every night I hesitated until I decided to stop waiting for you to call or even come back to me. Everything you told me or shared with me is like a sore that dug deeper and deeper into me---"_

"_Lisa, it was never my intention---" _

"_No, let me finish! I waited for you long enough to explain. You let it pass---" pointing her index finger offensively to him. "Now it's my turn… All your empty promises were left with me. All the love, affection, happiness you swore to me, you deprived me of it! Everyday I grew stronger. Who among all of the people I worked with in the past 13 years would even think that I have thoughts of you at the back of my head? Who among them could possibly think that I am actually lamenting on memories of a man who walked away from me a long, long time ago?" _

"_I'm sorry. I thought heartbreaks would last only as long as you let it. It would only tear deeply into you if you allow it to. You were a very strong woman when I met you; I never thought I would have had such effect on you…"" _

"_Classic. What did not kill me made me stronger. Is that all that you can say to me after such a long time that you've cost me these? Is that the best that you can come up with?" _

_Silence. _

"_Why have you left me then, Thorne?" _

"_I was afraid you would want us to be in a relationship." _

"_I never asked you for that." _

"_I was afraid you would." _

"_You know I wouldn't press anything like that to you. It doesn't matter to me. You know what matters to me then? What matters to me then is that I have you. We spent boring times together. We cuddled each other on bad moments. We loved. That was enough for me. I asked no definition of it. What made you think I would pressure you into something like that?"_

"_The thought of you deserving something like that from me is what made me think you should've asked me for that. I cannot give it to you then. My hands are chained with the tradition of my family. My fate is bound with the birthright of being the sole heir. A lot is expected of me. I don't want to drag you into that. I don't want to bring you to the misery I am atoned for." _

"**Yuhooo! DR. CUDDY! Earth to Dr. Cuddy!" **House broke her chain of thoughts with his childish squeal.

"What do you want?" she said, annoyed.

"Since you've been sitting on you ass in the stair step for about thirty minutes already, I thought maybe I'd break you super-self-introverting and save that pretty, pretty thing---"glancing mischievously to her behind "into having Decubitus ulcer… Have you already figured a way out of here yet, mistress?"

She sighed after acknowledging that the last thing left in her memory is hearing the loud simultaneous click of newly installed time-locked technology in the stairwell while chasing after House: "No." Eyes rolled with impatience.

"Big disappointment for me, because you know, thirty minutes ago I think so highly of you…" House said as he search is coat pockets with something. He took out a black PSP. Hit the power button and drawn his attention to it, trying to make Lisa feel ignored.

Lisa watched him do his thing with his toy only to recognize that it is actually something she hadn't seen him with before: "Where did you get that?"

"Patient bribed me again. Actually, it came with a fruit basket," he said paradoxically and turned once again to his gadget.

She decided to lay it at rest as she hugged her body with her own arms. She shuddered at the gentle breeze of evening cold. She chilled inwardly, trying to hide that kind of weakness from her companion or he will definitely not let this opportunity to mock her weakness. To him weakness is like a disease. It's a flaw. It's a draw back. It should be eradicated.

------------------------------------------

**WILSON **decided to drop by his office to get some papers to sign for the evening. His New York seminar went well. They were oriented on innovative ways on how to convince women to perform monthly exams with the help of their husbands and the new ways to prevent breast cancer through brassiere fitting. He is slightly surprised to see a fine built man standing before his office door.

"Excuse me? Is there anything that you need, sir?"

The man turned to him: "Good evening, Dr. Wilson. I dropped by to ask if you had seen Lisa tonight."

"Dr. Adham! I---" he stammered.

"Oh, c'mon James. You know you can call me by my first name."

"OK, then. I haven't seen her yet since I arrived from New York. What? What happened?" he said while rummaging through his pants pocket and tried to feel the keys for his office door knob.

"I can't find her. We are scheduled for a dinner tonight. I've been in her office for almost an hour and she never showed up there. I asked the nurses but they said that it has been almost an hour ago after they last saw her. I'm getting worried."

Wilson triumphantly opened his lock and gestured one hand for Adham to enter his office. He asked if he can offer something for him to drink. Adham nodded and accepted the coffee cup Wilson prepared for him. Adham settled on his couch as Wilson went to the door to lock it. He smiled secretly to himself.

In between sips of coffee Wilson decided to ask: "Were things getting smooth to both of you since after the dinner party?"

"We are working it out. She's been really considerate. I know that she's having a hard time since I arrived and came back to her but I know that she is trying to examine herself about what sort of chance I might still be having."

"You have been gone for such a long time. You can't expect her to just adapt all of a sudden."

"I know. That's why I am waiting."

------------------------------------------

**GREG HOUSE **watches Lisa Cuddy in all that she does, although he pretends well in ignoring her as if he is busy playing with his PSP. He had noticed her shudder every time a cool evening blow enters through the open ceiling window that stirs through the spaces inside the stairwell and reach them. Lisa wears a cute red small floral designed skirt and a red Sabrina-neck top. Greg could not blame her for shivering, for the construct of her cloth may be elegant but its layers are thin. He can actually imagine the cold feel of its texture to her skin. He, right there and then, felt a hot flush run through his skin after picturing her in a sort of garment he want to see her in. He shook his head off, acted to remove his coat and turned to give it to her.

"How about you?" she asked.

"I'm on constant leg pain, cold breeze is chicken feed. Besides I'm on Vicodin. I'm too high to notice I feel cold," he outspread the coat and laid it on top of her shoulders. Lisa flexed on it once she's in the coat, Greg almost smiled at the sight of her still trying to be composed even though in an obvious state of physical distress.

"Thank you, Greg." She smiled sophisticatedly.

"Welcome." He looked at her face. She's turning pale in cold. Then an idea about heating her up came to him, "since I did something nice to you today, I hope you wouldn't mind if I ask you something…"

"About what?"

His face grew dark: "Why did you not came home with me after the party last week? I waited for you. You did not even mention anything about abandoning me for chasing after the EurAsia Representative. "

Lisa's eyes widened. She bit her lip and withdrew her gaze from House guiltily. He sighed; he is not letting her get away with this conversation again. She has been avoiding this topic for so long now that he will not let her trash this again.

------------------------------------------

"**I** don't know why you hang on to something you know you're better off letting go. It's like you're scared to lose what you don't' really have. You lost it a long, long time ago," James said pointedly to Thorne.

"I say, I'd rather have that something half-way than absolutely nothing at all."

"Truth is, to have it half-way is harder than not having it at all."

"Harder and harder every step of the way, so be it. I am holding on to this, whatever it is I have left with Lisa."

"You must really like her, huh?"

"No. Just love her enough to let her cost me all these."

James Wilson sighed.

------------------------------------------

**LISA **mentioned to Greg the things she talked about with Thorne and his proposition. She felt comfortable talking to him about Thorne because she knows that House had known him and the nature of their relationship since college. She told him the choices she was considering.

"There's nothing wrong about being single. It's actually nice to be free. I can stay out late for work every night. I can wear whatever I want. I can be just my plain old self. And the whole world sees that I can take care of myself…" Lisa looked at House almost with dreamy eyes.

"**But?** I can almost feel the **but** actually coming…" House said implying an expression that says he is not interested.

"But, to tell you the truth, I wouldn't mind having someone walk me home after work. I wouldn't mind wanting to look good or trying to be better for someone. I wouldn't mind letting someone hold me when I'm just too weak to go on. It's nice to be free but I wouldn't mind being bound to someone who would really love me."

"Cinderella Complex of the twenty-first generation."

"I beg your pardon?"

"Psychological term, actually. It is based on the Disney movie "Cinderella." In the movie, she was forced into submission to powerful women who have **no men in their lives**. It sort of made powerful women look **evil**, **physically ugly **and **man-haters**, well, not that I'm saying that you are any of those things…"

"I know the story, House. Where I'm trying to lure you is into telling me on what you mean with saying that to me?"

"Did I mention she dressed horribly, did menial labor and always at the mercy of someone in power. Until the day she was transformed into a beauty in the ball---"

"Which also implied that if a woman is not beautiful she will not receive attention from men,"

"---Oh, very bitter---and caught the eye of a prince who saved her from that kind of life. The ironic thing is that she is actually switching one dependent lifestyle for another one with a prince. It appears to be a "fairy tale" because if she has the love of a man, moreover the prince of the kingdom, she is better than she was before even though her place on the rung is still the same. The idea is that women are dependent. It is in their very nature and they must always be taken care of by someone other than themselves. If they do have the ability to care for themselves they are generally **cold-hearted**, **ugly** and **without a man**. Of course, again not that I'm saying that you are any of those… "

"I get that you are not the romantic type. That must be the reason why Stacy dumped you."

"It is said to become more apparent to women as they **grow older**, you know that?"

Lisa must have had it. The insult was too much for her to bear considering that she actually expected that she will be able to squeeze some sense out of House: "Love has no room for **selfish people** who thinks only of themselves---"

"Doesn't sound like someone I know!"

"---If you have been too busy with work, or have been kept distorted by your priorities---"

"Sounds exactly like **you**!"

"---Then it is about time that that you stop for a while and think about the people who you might have stepped on and taken for granted. Love isn't forever, House. Don't wait for too long for you to appreciate those who have **unselfishly** given it to you, for all that may be left tommorrow are just the bitter and cold memories of **someone** who loved you too much but was never loved enough!" then she stormed off, almost like flying as she head upwards, leaving his coat laying in his dirt path.

**

* * *

****P.S. **I really feel sleepy now. I failed to reach the deadline I made for myself. I'm one and a half hour late. It's exhausting to think. Anyway, if you don't like the chapter or my presentation of this chapter; please tell me. Thank you. 


	5. Metapmorphosis One

I'm sorry for all the grammatical errors I made in the previous chapter. I promise to edit it and make it better. On this story, if you think they may be getting a little off character please bear in mind that I am actually imagining how they would react or talk to each other without all the other factors adding up some stress to their conversation. Usually we see them talking, in the show, on the corridors with skeptical people eyeing them, on House's office with the ducklings, or even in her office arguing. Here, I am dancing with the idea of what sort of things will they be talking about when they would have to talk to each other not about work but just talk about little things even with no sense at all.

This is like my favorite chapter. I am hoping this can be a stand alone. So even those people who do not like the story of my writings, I may share the fluffiness of this chapter. Even just this chapter, this one is totally Huddy.

_**Singing in head.** You're gonna love me for this. You're gonna kiss me for this. You're gonna dream of me for this. You're all gonna love me. You're all SO gonna love me. You're all SO TOTALLY gonna love me. _**_Still singing._ **

Thanks to all those cute people that reviewed. To all I have disappointed in the previous chapter, this one is my apology. I appreciate the criticisms. Loving you for that.

Read and Review please. This is the second out of three on the stairwell idea. Enjoy.

**SPOILER THINGY:** Still, same as before.

**DISCLAIMER: **I want to own a hospital of my own. And---uh---House---of my own.

**

* * *

**

**CHAPTER 5**

**Metamorphosis One**

* * *

_**Every breath you take  
Every move you make  
Every bond you break  
Every step you take  
I'll be watching you**_

****

"Hey, what's that? Like your motto?" Lisa shouted from a few floors above where House is sitting. Forty-five minutes had passed after she walked away from him. He pissed her off after he commented harshly on what she was saying at a time when she was actually starting to pour her heart out on him.

"What? You want to dance?" he teased while one hand is on his temple and the other holding the PSP.

"Hell, no! You've been playing that song for the fourteenth time now. Since the The Police had sung that, it was so old news." She made a face indicating that she is still mad at him though she knows he wouldn't even see it or feel it.

"Yes," he shouted after he hyper extended his neck to make sure his message reached her a few floors above him.

"I did not ask a question."

"I just said yes that it's an old song and that's my, how did you put this?--- **motto** for you."

"Gee, no idea you'd say that," her eyes rolled along with a sigh.

"My motto for you, Lisa:" he pressed the rewind button. It played again and he sang along with it .

_**Every breath you take  
Every move you make  
Every bond you break  
Every step you take  
I'll be watching you**_

_**  
**_

"Are you saying that it's actually your guiding principle in invading my privacy everyday?" she said with a deep frown forming in her forehead.

"Stop kissing your own ass, Cuddy."

"You're so gross, stalking me like that…"

"Fine. You know why I stalk you? It's because I'd like to know the pattern you use on how fashionable you pick the panties you wear for the day."

"Oh, gross!"

-------------------------------------------------

Another thirty minutes had passed:

**_Every single day  
Every word you say  
Every game you play  
Every night you stay  
I'll be watching you_**

"Oh, please, House, pick another song or I'll fire you."

"There is no other song in this PSP."

"Kill me now."

"Uh, OK. How will I do that? You're up there? Get down here first_."_

_-------------------------------------------------_

**_Every move you make  
Every vow you break  
Every smile you fake  
Every claim you stake  
I'll be watching you  
_**

"I am hungry." Lisa said to the man beside her. She is leaning to the wall, sitting on a stair step. He, too, is leaning on the wall where the stairway metal guide is placed and sitting on about two stair step above her. His pained leg is stretched, laid downward beside his cane.

She noticed that Greg is sweating. She is curious on his physiological reaction on a New Jersey evening weather: "Greg, why are you sweating? It's cold."

"I have had my last Vicodin pill around three hours ago," he threw his empty medication bottle to the floor violently, "pain may actually be starting to kick in."

"I say it's Karma. Besides, man, you'll do without it even just for one night," she said in a challenging voice.

He remained still although she failed to notice a gleam of mischief in his blue eyes.

"Do you have a biscuit there in your pocket?" She bent over and stretched her arms to reach his pants pockets. She is now kneeling at his side, invading both of their intimate spaces.

None among them considered their position awkward or even breathe a word to tease. Surprisingly, not even Gregory House.

She paused. Greg is unrealistically discreet and stoned: "Hey!" she said, punching him in the arm.

He did not move until Lisa screeched: "Cockroach! Cockroach!"

She jumped up to stand, pulling her skirt up and down to drive the poor insect out of her clothes.

Greg held his stomach in laughter. He held his other hand to his face completely letting go of his cane to the floor and nastily guffawed. He never had a good laugh in his life until now. He looked at her again and intently observed her. She turned absolutely red, even the tip of her nose. She is still bouncing all over the place when he remembered the first time he saw the insect coming.

After he threw the empty Vicodin bottle, he saw the cockroach on the wall as it moves downward from above the fire extinguisher towards Lisa's direction. He felt good when she leaned over to him and inhaled her conditioner. He was stoned when he realized that after she did that, she allowed the insect an easier access in her skirt.

He gazed at her again, only now he noticed that her eyes are almost filled with tears. He stood up quickly when he noticed that she is already losing her balance after an unconscious step backwards. He tried to support her as he holds her waist strongly and try to steady her body by making her lean on his. The insect spread its wings and flew away from them but it was too late. Lisa and Greg already lost their balance.

After a painful fall, Greg found himself seated on the floor near the door of the fourth floor exit. His legs are stretched and she is in between them. Her weight is leaning against him for stability. One of his hands is still on her waist while the other is accidentally in one of her private spaces.

Lisa's skirt is pulled up her legs exposing most of it but still keeping her underwear covered. She felt hotter in the face when she noticed one of Greg's hands on her thigh, an inch below her crotch. She looked at him, embarrassed. Their eyes meet. Greg, remembering the previous cockroach incident, grinned rascally to her and rocked his eyebrows twice.

She slapped him hard in the face eliciting the exact surprised reaction from both of them

"Red unddies, huh?"

"Pervert," she said as she quickly stands up and composes herself.

**_O can't you see  
You belong to me  
How my poor heart aches with every step you take  
_**

He somehow felt better.

**_-------------------------------------------------_**

"You're staring at my lips again, Greg." Lisa said shaking her head, smiling at the same time.

He jerked pretending he had just woken up from an open-eye sleep, "Sorry you lost me…"

"What? You think I don't notice the way you stare at my lips until you seemingly look lost in it about a couple of times now? What does it bring you, Greg? Memories or ideas?"

"Well, pretending I know what you're talking about, it doesn't bring me memories for there are none. You may therefore conclude that it brings me ideas."

"No memories, Dr. Gregory House? Oh, really?" she teased.

"You changed your lipstick. Usually, then, you use red and sometimes plum. Now, you're wearing pink."

"Doesn't sound like one of those brilliant ideas you are so famous of."

"This new one radiates your skin. It makes your face glow with a natural looking blush on."

"The idea was?"

"I am wondering what does a pink lipstick tastes like."

"Sorry, can't lend it to you now. It's in my bag, in my office. In case you haven't noticed, WE'RE STUCK HERE. Thanks to you."

"It's okay. You're still wearing it. You might wanna---" gesturing his fingers to indicate an action between his lips and hers.

"Oh, nice try. A minus for effort, B for bastard." She said, backing off.

He chuckled: "C'mon we did it once then…"

"That was a long, long time ago. It was a deception. You tricked me. It was supposed to be a CPR."

"It was a good CPR…"

"Uh----next topic!"

"Can't take the heat, Dr. Cuddy?"

"That's not a topic."

"Am I that irresistible?"

"Am I that miserable?"

"Only on moments like this…"

"You're flattering yourself by being my one and only choice? Seriously? Does it not imply to you that if I have a choice I wouldn't be even facing you?"

**_Every single day  
Every word you say  
Every game you play  
Every night you stay  
I'll be watching you  
_**

**_"_**Not again, Greg."

He ignored her, even upped the volume.

"Greg! Greg! HEY!"

He pretended to sleep and deep breathed.

"GREGORY HOUSE!?!"

Until, an offensive release of intestinal gas through his anus, with an accompanying sound overpowered the song.

Lisa groaned: "Jesus Christ! You farted?" covering her nose.

He popped open his eyes and said: "I'm gonna need a bathroom. Maslows Hierarchy of Needs screamed my name through my ass."

"Where the hell in here we'll find that?" Lisa said with a stone saying he's-crazy.

"Down the ground floor, locker room has a bathroom, remember?"

"It's also locked."

"I don't think so," he said standing up and heads downward. Lisa went after him.

**_-------------------------------------------------_**

**_Every breath you take  
Every move you make  
Every bond you break  
Every step you take  
I'll be watching you  
_**

**_Every single day  
Every word you say  
Every game you play  
Every night you stay  
I'll be watching you_**

"Student's locker room is not locked? How could this be?" Lisa said sitting outside of the comfort room door while Greg takes on its comfort.

"I dunno. You're the one who signed the permission for this time-lock-down testing," Greg said sitting on the toilet and putting the playing PSP near his ear, "you should be the one to know which among what are locked and not,." then another fart.

"Oh! I have never inhaled something as awful as this!" Lisa declared.

"Excuse me. You may be my boss but you have no right to insult my gases. If you do not want to smell it you might as well not breathe."

"Yeah, that's actually my instinctive choice. But since your gases' chemical composition are so invasive it declared war to the ciliary hairs protecting my nostril!"

**_Every move you make  
Every vow you break  
Every smile you fake  
Every claim you stake  
I'll be watching you_**

After a couple of more minutes, Lisa heard a loud flush of water to the bowl, then the faucet running then Greg going out of the bathroom with an insightful liberated expression on his face.

**_O can't you see  
You belong to me  
How my poor heart aches with every step you take_**

"Oh---hateful! Hateful smell!"

"Am I not so talented. Boss?" he said.

"What? Your ability to produce such a bomb to upset people is a talent to you?" Lisa commented while Greg positioned himself face down to the floor looking at the base of every locker shelf. She stared at him puzzled.

**_Since you've gone I been lost without a trace  
_**

She watched him doing that in a couple of minutes more until she saw a triumphant beam in his face. He rose up the floor and threw her one of the three keys.

**_I dream at night I can only see your face  
_**

"Try that on one of any of lockers number 45, 89 and 96. They should work."

**_I look around but it's you I can't replace_**

"What do you mean?"

**_I feel so cold and I long for your embrace  
_**

"Just do it, Lisa."

**_I keep crying baby please  
_**

She did. Tried 96 where she is standing near, but it did not unlock. Then went on and tried 89, clicked open. She opened the locker door. She is stunned: "Greg, I---uh—think we have food."

**_Every move you make  
Every vow you break  
Every smile you fake  
Every claim you stake  
I'll be watching you._**

"And blankets..." Greg said, holding the door of locker number 45.

**_I'll be watching you._**

Lisa looked at Greg, suspicious.

**_I'll be watching you._**

Greg sighed, mystified.

**_I'll be watching you._**

**_

* * *

_**

_**POST SCRIPT AGAIN:**_ _**Singing in head**. You'll love me. You'll kiss me. You'll dream of me. You're all loving me. You're all SO loving me. You're all SO TOTALLY loving me. **Still singing.** _

Review, Baby. Rock my world. I'm high.

Looking forward to the third one.

Okay I'll tell you something. That CPR thingy is actually an idea I have for a one shot story I would like to write. It's another Huddy fic for me that flashed in my mind through divine intervention as I was memorizing the CPR checklist we have to perform for a return demonstration to our clinical instructor. I was just thinking that what if, at any point, House actually used that on Cuddy? Adorable! Brilliant!

By the way, References: Every breath you take by The Police, which I first wrongly gave credit to Rolling Stones. From this one anonymous reviewer. **Thanks to him/her. **


	6. Awake, Conscious and Coherent

Sorry if it took me a long time to update. Midterm week was hell. And devastating news: I failed my medical surgical exam! I really hope I can make a good resurrection for the finals. I never thought medical education can be this difficult.

Well, this is the last of the lockdown arc. Actually I am apologizing for two reasons. First one was the one I already said and the other is for not being able to make it as I had promised in my first chapter before I reposted it that this is not going to be long. I said then that I want this story to be just as long as 15 chapters but now I don't know if it'll be that long. I think this will be longer than that. If you would all permit me to let it grow into a longer story please say so. If you don't then let me know and knock some sense out of me. Please.

I still have lots of Huddy ideas flooding through my mind.

**SPOILER THINGY:** still, between who's your daddy & no reason

**DISCLAIMER: **after I pass that MS subject and starts earning dollars, I'll buy them.

* * *

**CHAPTER 6**

**Awake, Conscious and Coherent**

* * *

"Hey! No cheating!" Lisa shouted. She knelt down to grab the neon yellow paper strip in Greg's hands.

He enclosed it to his palm and hid it to his back, out of her reach: "Nobody's cheating."

"Why do you always get the hard questions for me to answer?"

"You just can't answer the question, Sore Loser!"

"Excuse me, I am not a loser."

"You are."

"I am not!"

"You are!"

"I am NOT!"

"YOU'RE NOT!"

"I---," she realized something and spoke again: "you think that'll work?"

"Well, ha-ha! Almost got you!"

"You think I was about to say that **I am**, you idiot? I was about to say that **I am not**. Still, that **I am not**." She said haughtily.

"Whatever. Answer the question. Stop taking the conversation to another direction. You are just buying yourself a lot of time to reminisce the symptoms in your ancient brain."

"What is it again?"

_Cough_**LOSER**_cough_: "Cushing's Triad, what are those?"

"That's easy, you know? I know that at the back of my head---"

"Answer!"

"House, I did not graduate second in my class at med school to not know that---"

_Cough_**TOTAL-LOSER**_cough_

"FINE! Bradycardia, bradypnea and hypotension. Happy now?" _Cough_**GREG-IS-PISSED-AND-HE'S-UGLY**_cough_

Greg made a face. He really did put faith in believing that Lisa will not recall the answer in her jurassic head. She had busied herself with lots of administrative work for years to remember a simple Neuro-ICU knowledge. In medicine, the simplest facts are mostly the easiest to forget. He made up an excuse: "No! The other one is tachycardia!"

"Now, whose got a pre-historic brain matter? Your neurons' synapses are corroded!"

"It's tachy!"

"Look it up in the book, for Christ's sake!"

He did not bother. He knows that he is wrong. He just enjoys messing up with Lisa at a time like this. He has a feeling that Lisa is enjoying every minute of an evening without paper works and home-alone loneliness. He actually thinks that she's high. So, sleepless in PPTH makes Lisa Cuddy a gullible, drunk-like dupe. Right now, he is keeping her company.

And he is losing.

He threw her two bags of his potato chips and gritted his teeth. So far, she has two of his chips, a soda can and four small-sized cheesecake leaving him nothing but two 120 ml water bottles.

She smiled condescendingly: "Would you mind passing me---" _Cough_**LOSER**_cough_ "---the fishbowl?" She popped open one of the bag of chips.

"I mind."

_Cough_**TOTAL-LOSER**_cough_

"Fine!" he seized the fishbowl laying quietly to his side and swayed it to Lisa's direction causing the star-shaped neon papers to scatter atop their blanket: "Bet is up! Who lose looses a piece of clothing!"

Lisa inserted her left hand in the bowl and stirred it along with the papers inside, ignoring him: _Cough_**DESPERATE-LOSER**_cough_

"You're just afraid you'd end up naked!"

"Ha! Who among us right now ended up hungry but hydrated?"

"What? Afraid of your wrinkles being exposed?"

She held a piece of neon orange paper out of the bowl, raised it with one hand while the other hand picked up a potato chip. She whispered Greg's name teasingly. After he turned to her direction, she looked at him seductively in the eye and put it in her mouth slowly. Greg's jaw clench as he watch Lisa put up the show. She tilted her head to one side and chewed the piece with poise.

"Stretch-marks perhaps?" Greg gave it a shot to avenge himself.

"I'll let you think whatever you want to think. I know that any ideas you may have about my body, drives you crazy."

_Damn, _Greg thought.

"Question is up." She looked at the piece of paper she unfolded: "Oh c'mon!"

"Drop the bomb, Cuddy. You know I can answer that!"

"This is not fair!"

"Get ready to get naked, Cuddy! Tell me the question."

"Aint my body a wonderland?"

"Uh---do I look like I'm catching up with your insanity?"

"Do I look like I'm acting on slapstick comedy?"

"Maybe when you're already in your birthday suit: unwrapped, unsheathed, exposed…"

"I told you since the beginning that this fishbowl is full of crap! Nobody reviews college lessons with fishbowl method anymore!" Lisa threw the piece of paper to Greg's face. Unfortunately for him, it hit him in his right eye. Unfortunately for her, his eye's blinking reflex is fast enough to help his vision recover. As soon as it happened, he picked it up and read what really was there to make her act childish.

_Aint the Dean of Medicine's body a wonderland?_, Greg blinked trice and read it again. Students can really be at times very naughty. When he realized that what Lisa said earlier wasn't a vain attempt to convey sarcasm, he grimaced at her direction and gestured with his mouth a seductive "_yes_**"** and a "_get-naked_" look.

"In your dreams!"

**------------------------------------------**

**AWAKE**

Greg watched the sleeping Lisa Cuddy curl her body at his side. Lisa has been sleeping for about twenty-minute now. He too attempted to steal a moment to sleep after she started yawning twenty-minutes ago, but then, there seem to be something about this night that makes him don't want to miss a single minute with Lisa pass by unmarked in his memory for future recall.

In reality, she looks peaceful in her sleep. In his thought, he chooses the term tamed.

_I am like the moon; I want to be there for her. I want to shine when darkness creeps in and watch over her as she sleeps. When it is me that is hurting, I will hide behind the clouds and dwell in loneliness alone but still waiting for her to need me again. Waiting for her to see that all I want is to be there for her. No matter how much is it that I am not needed. _

He smiled authentically for his unusual spontaneity for poetic diction.

_It's easy to love someone who simply smiles, talks and stares at me the way she does. The only hard thing about that is how to make her fall for me while there is always a possibility that she could find someone better than me in so many levels. _

His smile faded into a hurtful expression after the realization hit him hard in the face.

Again, for what seemed to be the hundredth time, he allowed himself the indulgence of drowning at the sight of Lisa innocently brushing her face to his chest. His one arm is widely spread at his side that served as Lisa's pillow.

"Lisa, there are a lot of things I wanted so much to tell you," he whispered to her.

He folded his arm and touched her back with his hands. He pushed her body closer to his as he turned to his side to face her. She moaned. With that, he affirmed that she is in deep sleep.

"But I know it's not possible for both of us to talk with hearts and emotions pouring out. We just don't have the knack for compatibility. That's why there **can't** be us… Not then, not in the future and not now…"

He flexed his neck to make his forehead touch hers.

"But there are still things I should let you know. I will say them to you now because this is the only time I know you will let me talk…"

He can feel his breath going back to him because of its lack of ability to escape from the constricted space in between their faces. He closed his eyes.

"Don't ever try to understand everything. Some things will just never make sense. Don't ever be reluctant to show your feelings; when you're happy give into it, when you're not, live with it. Don't ever be afraid to try to make things better, you might just be surprised at the results, whatever it may be. Don't ever take the weight of the world on your shoulders; you deserve so many things that will make it lighter. Don't ever feel threatened by the future; take life one day at a time. Don't ever feel guilty about the past, what is done is done. Learn from any mistakes you might have made. Be happy, Lisa. Because when you are, you can be rest assured that I am too..."

He swallowed, took a deep breath and opened his eyes again. He stared longingly at her solemn face.

"…for you."

**------------------------------------------**

**CONSCIOUS**

Lisa felt the light touch of Greg's lips to hers though she decided to remain still. The power that is driving her to respond to that kiss to encourage deepening it is dethroned by her ability to be in control if her emotions. She pretended to be asleep for the whole one second that seemed to be forever for the two of them that's trying to steal some time from the world just to be with each other.

_I know I may at times look like I don't care so much about you. Sometimes I even call you miserable but every time I do that I feel miserable too. You don't deserve that._

_I know most of the time I face you composed and so sure of myself but the truth is that I am not. I may seem happy but I the truth is that I feel lonely. I may look alright but in reality I am losing my mind. _

_I tried not to talk to you, I tried not to show. I know I succeeded with that decoy. But deep down: one word, one look, one smile and I know over and over I'll fall. _

She remained unmoved. Greg's body seemed to relax already. His light breath is taking normal rhythm. It only means that is already drifting into sleep.

Lisa tried to open her eyes but they are just full of tears that she decided not to. She is afraid that when it poured, it will wet Greg's arm and that will distract his new found seclusion.

_I have come to realize that you're just a guy. One great, maybe but not mine. I don't have to do things to make you love me. Because, I know, if you wanted to, you would. _

And her hand tightened around his waist.

**------------------------------------------**

**COHERENT**

All the candy wrappers, potato-chip wrappers and empty water bottles they found from locker number 89 are compressed back inside the said locker and were locked in it.

The fishbowl and its neon-colored star shaped contents that they found from locker number 96 last night are now scattered at the floor around the two bodies possessively cuddling each other for solace.

The blanket they laid on to the floor last night after finding it from locker number 45 looks like completely distorted reflecting all the movement they made while sleeping.

Both body remained in such tranquil stance when the loud metal clicks from the stairwell at the other side of the locker room door stunned both of them.

Lisa jumped up and ran to the door. She locked it and went back to shake Greg back to the real world: "House! House! C'mon get up its 8 o'clock!"

He groaned and turned to his side away from Lisa. She tried to shake him harder. He remained to not care about her yanking him to wake until voices are heard from outside their door.

"Hey! Open up! We're gonna be late!" they said from the outside, banging the door. And other more: "What are you doing in there?", "Hey! It's too early to be nasty!" and the worst "Call security to open the damn door so that we can catch them on the spot!"

House got up fast, Cuddy gave him his cane. They both exchanged nervous looks as if asking each other what they should do.

House's eyes lit up with an idea: "DR. CUDDY! YOU CANNOT GO ON HARASSING ME LIKE THIS!" he shouted while he was standing at the door intentionally wanting the students to hear. All the voices outside subsided.

Cuddy looked at him, confused: "What?" she mouth-motioned. She is picking up the blanket and dumping it to its locker place.

He gestured instructing Cuddy in playing along with him as he throw the locker keys at the base of the locker shelves.

"DR. HOUSE! I CANNOT LET YOU DO IT! I AM NOT GOING TO LET YOU USE THIS HOPSITAL TO INDUDGE YOUR SELFISH ENDEAVORS!" She frowned as if asking him of what is it really that they are talking about. She locked the locker where she dumped the blankets and the fishbowl.

"IF THE PATIENT WANTED TO KILL HIMSELF, SO BE IT. LET HIM DO IT! YOUR COMPASSION IS NOT BEING SEEKED. IT'S NOT YOUR CONCERN."

Silence.

House looked at her expectantly; both of her eyebrows rose thinking so hard what to throw back to him: "BUT HIS DEATH WILL BE AN ADDITION TO THE STATISTICS OF OUR MORTALITY RATE! NOW THEN, THAT'S MY CONCERN."

House's jaw dropped as if saying that that-is-a-stupid-argument-Cuddy.

Cuddy pursed her lips as if saying I-can't-think-of-anything-else-to-say-to-you-mr.-high-and-mighty.

"Now, you love me for saving your ass?" House whispered unlocking the door.

"Never," she whispered back.

"I AM NOT DISCHARGING HIM! HE'S A GOOD SAXOPHONE PLAYER WHO WANTS TO DIE AS MY PATIENT!" He walked out of the locker room as soon as he opened it leaving the students dumb-founded in catching one of the infamous battle of wit in between the legendary Diagnostician and their very own Dean of Medicine.

Cuddy held her poise as soon as the door opened and walked out of the pile of shocked students sophisticatedly on her heels. She ignored their simultaneous greeting of "good mornings" as a part of her acting.

"Damn that bastard!" she said to make the battle much more believable. Then she bit her lower lip on her way up to the stairwell going to the hospital.

* * *

Okay, so this chapter ended up long. So, now I expect that you have forgiven me.

I expect you all to post a review and please tell me what you think.

**Special note: **I have some stories on alert and they are making me wait so long. I am running out of patience. Heheh!

Separation Anxiety by Absydy

Really, really cute one!

Desperation by HouseAddiction

More than words…

Groove Armada by RogueButterfly

Left me breathless… until now I am suffering from hypoxia!

I wish they update soon before my sanity runs dry.

If anyone is interested for co-writing, please take note that I am too…

I miss you all.


	7. Signs and Symptoms

NOTE: The twists in this chap will not be recognized if you forgot about the previous chaps, so please make sure u remember quite a lot from the others before continuing.

**To dearest Gabiroba, **sorry for the delay

You, guys, owe her this chapter 7. She nagged me to it.

Thanks, gaby, you inspired me to continue this. Seriously.

* * *

**CHAPTER 7**

**Signs and Symptoms**

* * *

**LISA CUDDY **tried to straighten her wrinkled skirt as she made a quick stop to the third floor comfort room. She is washing her face when someone approached her. The teenage girl that approached her handed her a tulip and a note without saying a word.

Before she could even ask for a name or information, the girl went out with a face of satisfaction.

After she partially dried her hands with a tissue paper she took the note entangled at the long stem of the red flower. She wondered what that was about as she opens the note and read it in her head:

**I love your beautiful hair.**

**I love your body.**

**I love how beautiful your eyes are. **

**I love how you demand respect but are not controlling.**

**I love your strength of character.**

**I love your courage to be you. **

She was silenced by what she had read. It was shocking for her that out of the blue something as declarative as this will enchant her: early in the morning without a bath or even just a decent facial wash and a toothbrush. She went on to reading:

**I love your confidence.**

**I love your spontaneity.**

**I love your sensuality. **

**I love your intelligence.**

**I love your ingenuity.**

**I love your tenderness. **

**I love your love for life. **

It took her another minute to rationalize the idea and get over the freaking that it gave her. Up until she went out of the bathroom and somewhat made herself look decent that she went on to pondering who the mystery letter sender could be.

She was lost in her thoughts when she rode the elevator. She is holding in her left hand the Tulip and the letter when one of the elevator passengers, a male in his mid-forties patted her shoulders lightly: "Dr. Lisa Cuddy? Are you?" he asked her.

She turned to him with a surprised expression on her face while a few more others in the elevator looked at her too, all wearing such an enlightened and admiring look.

He handed her another long-stemmed yellow Tulip, smiled at her thoughtfully and whispered: "A man from the lobby asked me to give this to you. He is such a nice man, you're very lucky."

She took it and somewhat felt a little light-headed with embarrassment because of all the attention she is receiving since the dawn of that morning, that is beside the point that that day started out really wrong.

**I loved the way you look when you're sleeping. **

**I love the way your voice sounds over the phone.**

**I love your ability to talk things through.**

**I love the way you handled troubled times.**

"And this too," said an old woman beside the man that handed her the Tulip, "Another letter and a flower…so sweet… that man…"

**I love the way you make me laugh.**

**I loved the softness of your lips against mine. **

**I love your ability to speak without saying a single word.**

**I love how I love you.**

Before she finally reached the lobby, few more anonymous flowers and letters were given to her by total strangers. Every time she read each of the notes handed down to her she felt her heart flutter.

**I love the way that if we were ever separated I wouldn't know how to go on. **

**I love how when I dream of my life partner the only person that I can see is you.**

**I love how our romance feels like the perfect romance movie.**

**I love the way I can't imagine a day without you in my life. **

**I love how I thank God every day for bringing someone as wonderful as you into my life. **

**I love the way how even though we may be miles apart I still feel like you're right here with me.**

"Dr. Cuddy!" Lisa heard Nurse Brenda call her name across the lobby. She hesitated for a moment whether to come to her or let the latter come to her. Before she even decided, Brenda is already on her face, handing her a small silver box with a pink tulip.

"Yesterday was a big day for you, I did not know." Brenda said to her and took another letter from her scrub-uniform pocket: "An addition to those love notes…" she pointed to the seven tulips in her hand.

**I love how I would do anything in this world to make you happy.**

**I love how if I died right now I would be the happiest person knowing that I found my one true love.**

"Seriously, what is this?" She asked her. The other dismissed her with a shrug and avoided her further questions.

Lisa sighed and went on to reach her office. The dim light is lit from the inside although the blinds are shut off. From the outside she can recognize that her assistant had not yet arrived.

While attempting to release the ribbon from its magnificent intertwine in the small silver box with both her hands; and the long stemmed tulips are pinned on her arms to her chest, she heard a man's voice that almost startled her to death as her office door slowly shut close:

"**I love how my heart's skips a beat whenever you walk into the room."**

She stopped, dead on her tracks as she listens.

"**I love how every time I look at you, you take my breath away."**

The man walked to her direction, she took a step backward as if to flee. He grabbed her hand and spoke again:

"**I love how complete I feel when I am with you." **

She stumbled to her feet, he caught her and she called his name: "Thorne…you… "

He held her hand and continued:** "I love the fact that I will never give up on you." **

She looked around her office, smelled the aroma of the scented candles lit all over the place and realized the number of flowers decorated regally in every corner of her domain.

Then she turned her gaze to Thorne, and waited for him to speak but he took advantage of her numbness. He brushed her hair out of her face, pushed up her chin very lightly and said: **"I love how I am and feel when I am with you. I love you for you." **

Silence ruled the place.

"I love all of you, you know." Thorne said to the spellbound Lisa Cuddy.

"Ah… you kind a… made that point…a…clear…" she stammered.

He laughed at her and picked the small silver box, opened it and revealed a white-gold necklace.

She did not look at him as he did that because her attention is in all the tulips positioned at every corner of her office, every where actually: "Where did you get all these flowers… are these over a hundred?" She asked disbelievingly.

"1,960 plus the 7 you took in, makes it actually 1967."

"My birth year?"

He laughed again: "I think so, it is."

But her shock isn't over yet. He opened the cage/locket-like pendant of the necklace and picked out a bivalve mollusk from one of his own pockets.

He opened the shell and her eyes grew big and round when she saw a rose-colored pearl emerge from it. Thorne watched her amazement with full attention and took the pearl from the shell, put it in the cage/locket-like pendant, closed it and put it on her neck.

"This one is yours, forever. Locked in with no key."

"Is this cultured?"

"No. It was harvested from one of the most important marine-pearl fisheries on the North American continent that is off Baja California, Mexico, the central point being at La Paz... That shell I harvested myself the first time I went there."

She is shaking in astonishment when he reached to cross the space between them and kissed her in the lips.

Disoriented and overjoyed as she was, she closed her eyes and answered the kiss more than willingly and compassionately.

She felt like the perfect man that she prayed for a long, long time finally found his way to her.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**JAMES WILSON **rummaged through the corridors trying to find House, but rather he found Thorne Adham wandering the hallways on his way to the hospital's college campus. He increased his speed and called his name out loud.

Adham stopped. Looked at his back and found James. Both smiled in acknowledgement of each other: "Dr. Wilson, anything you need me with?"

"No. Nothing, really. I just want to---"

Adham looked at him intently.

"---Lisa is happy, you know, on what you did." Wilson said; lips pursed while grinding his teeth.

Adham smiled showing two deep dimples on his cheek and two distinct twinkles in his eyes: "I know. That's the idea."

"She told me it was the most romantic thing someone had ever done for her and it was like the best birthday she ever had. Post-birth-day, I mean."

"I know."

Wilson touched Adham's arm and pulled him at the side of the corridor. He whispered: "You know, I like you. You are a good person."

Adham grew confused at the sudden change in Wilson's tone, "I know. We've known each other for such a long time. Whenever I need to know something about Lisa, its you I ask. What's the problem?"

"She's getting confused. You're pressuring her. Give her more time."

"I had given her just that. I'm gonna need an answer soon enough."

"Give her space to breathe. It's a difficult choice she's going to make."

"Did she just tell you that?"

Wilson went silent: "No."

"So?"

"Not directly."

"She doesn't seem to have a problem with me. One thing about **us **is that we talk about things. We have an open communication link with each other, even before, at college."

"A lot of things had changed, Thorne. Your superior IQ must have figured that out."

"Are you getting hostile, James? I thought we had an understanding that whatever makes Lisa happy will make you happy too."

"Not this early. Not this soon. It had just been 2 weeks since you arrived yet you already want to turn her world around and conquer it as yours. Give her time!"

"Time for what? Time for House to get the chance for a rebound?"

Wilson looked at him in the eye, challenging.

"I know you're up to something, James. I am not gonna get mad at you for giving her choices. But all the options you had provided her, so far costs nothing else but confusion. You are the one that has to give **us **time. Back off, James. I love her. She's re-examining what feelings she might still have for me. So, back off."

Wilson broke the gaze. Adham turned to leave him.

"Up to when or where can you prove your love for her? What if one day she asked you, **_do you really love me?_**"

Adham stopped at his steps and looked at him again: "I'd answer yes, as usual."

"Then if you really, really do. **_Can you set me free? _**Would you do that?"

"No. Not without a really, really good fight," then he turned to go.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**GREGORY HOUSE **turned to the door as it opened briskly, revealing Wilson.

He had not gone out of his office after the stairwell lockdown, moreover, Adham's love note exhibit. He did not realize that Lisa's birthday is actually yesterday. He is still felling guilty about riding on with Santos' plan.

Last night, he can think nothing more but to disrupt Adham and Lisa's plan for spending the night together. Only in the end, he learned that Adham's plan is a surprise party to celebrate Lisa's birthday.

_Cruel, cruel jerk!_he told himself. Lisa celebrated special events alone, by herself, in the past; and last night is like the only time when she can actually celebrate one of those with someone special to her, he selfishly intervened. _Jerk!_

"Don't be a coward, Greg. I know, 'coz every time you look at Lisa---"

"Don't start with me, Jimmy-boy."

"You're falling for her…" he teased.

Greg looked at him, hurt.

"…and its hurting you."

Greg disengaged his stare at Wilson. He drew away. Wilson can read him like a book. _My! He's such as mess!_

"It's easy to know if you have fallen for her. Love is like a disease, it has signs and--uh—symptoms. Let me give you a consult."

"Back off, James. I'm not that pathetic."

Wilson paused as he recognized the words used again at him by two different persons on the same day: "Okay, let's do this. The next time you see her, corner her. Look at her, stop and then smile. And—and if you can say this to yourself---" his voice trailed off as he notice that the one he's talking to doesn't seem to be listening but instead is staring through the glass pane of his office straight at a woman standing outside talking to some doctors.

"Say what, James?" he did not look at him. Instead, he remained to be intently examining her, "say that I may find a thousand others who can smile the same way, talk the same way, and get mad the same way but I'll never find someone like her. **Like her** who can make every heartbeat worth every thump, every rush and every release?" then he looked at him, wearing the same hurt expression on his face.

Wilson was surprised with his spontaneity, he considered that he might actually be feeling hurt: "Yes, Greg. Go ahead and fall."

"I can't."

"Why?"

"She wants a child with him!"

"He wants to marry her, moron!"

"I can't," he let a light touch be laid on his pained leg.

"Go for her. Show her she has a choice and a decision to make."

"I can't."

"BUT WHY CAN'T YOU?"

"Stop making it hard for me."

Wilson calmed himself: "Just tell me. Why can't you?"

Now, he too looked at Lisa standing outside House's office while she was talking to a bunch of doctors: She exchanged casual smiles with them as a well-built male figure approached her direction. She smiled at the new arrival. He kissed her in the cheek. She did not resist. There are even no more signs of awkwardness in between them. He held her in the waist. She introduced him to the other doctors. He smiled and shook their hands.

Both Wilson and House watched all those as it happens. Wilson asked again: "Why, House? Why are you keeping your distance from her? We both know you should be out there trying to fight for your share in her life…"

He turned to his friend: "It's hard pretending to be friends with someone special when every time I look at her it just hurts even more knowing that all that I can see is ultimately everything I want but cannot have."

Wilson fell silent, but he managed to find his voice: "You have to make a decision. You have to confirm to yourself whether you like her, love her or just let her go." He brushed his hair with his fingers: "You deserve to be happy. She deserves a choice."

He turned to the door and opened it. At a time when he was about to walk away, he decided that something he have on his mind has to be said. He closed the door again and faced his friend: "Greg, Love is like the last item on display. You have to hold it and think really, really hard if you want to have it, because if you don't or **still can't**, you might regret seeing someone take the last piece of it that gave up." He threw him one final stare saying don't-be-a-coward then walked away without looking back.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"**THE **human brain is the most outstanding part in the body, you know? It functions 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. It has even started functioning from the moment you were born, actually even before that, in vitro---" Wilson said, catching Lisa's attention from the other side of her mountain-sized paper works.

She looked at him intently and listened, although puzzled.

"---until the moment you fall in love," by the end of his sentence he is now sitting at the chair on the other side of her office table.

"Sometimes, you know? People have to put walls up around them not to keep other people out but to see who cares enough to break it down in order be with them," She replied even pointing at some imaginary walls.

"If you cannot get someone off your mind, like for example Gregory House, its maybe because he is supposed to be there. Remember that the mind recognize what the heart is trying to deny."

"I appreciate what you tried to do, James." Lisa said pushing the papers at the right side of her table. Soon after she's done doing that, she pulled something out of her bag. Wilson looked at it, when he recognized it, he was slightly astounded. It was Santos' black PSP: "When I asked you about helping me trying to get something out of House about what he might be feeling for me, I never thought it will be something as long as a one whole night locked down in a stairwell at the evening of my birthday." She smiled.

"At least, you two talked."

"Yes, uhm—we did. He diagnosed me of Cinderella Complex and I learned something."

"Learned what?"

"That it's hard waiting for someone who has no plan to arrive, who is so hard to understand, and who never even tries to explain; but what's harder about all that is that it's even harder to live without that someone who can make all the hard things worthy, even for me…"

"Are you saying that Thorne here may actually have an advantage over Greg simply because he's being a fraidy-cat?"

"Why endure the hard wait for someone whom I might love or might love me back while it is always easier to run back to someone whom I know loves and waits for me?" she rested her chin to her hands above her table.

Wilson sighed, he never thought his actions could cause such a mess to both people he cared so much about. He looked at her and asked: "So, Lisa do you love him?" pertaining to House.

"I think so. Maybe. I don't know."

He stared at her blankly.

"For a second I thought there is something between us in the locker room, but then I can feel him drawing away… as if he can never integrate himself to…himself…" she sighed.

"I think he loves you, he just doesn't have the guts to break the walls."

"He should be the one saying that! I can't define this feeling I may have with him, if there is any. Or maybe I just don't want to admit this! Because, you know, the worst feeling is knowing how much I love that person and how much that person loves me back, how perfect we are together but for a million unknown reasons we can **never** be together."

"Make up your mind. Think really hard. And once you've decided that you do love Greg over Thorne. Go run to him, not from him. You both deserve each other. Fight, fight like hell for that feeling."

"I know what to do, James but I'll try doing that next time," Lisa said shaking her head as if it will shake away the hurt, "Maybe next time, when it's going to be both of us who will fight for the damn feeling."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**WILSON **wasn't even surprised to find Santos at the door of his office.

"I really need that transfer." The intern said.

Wilson took his keys from his pocket quietly.

"Get me to Oncology. You bribed me of transfer from ER to your department if I make a plan to make Cuddy and House spend some time together. I took it. I did my part. We had a deal."

"Sure." Wilson said the moment they are in his office, "but there's one last thing I'd have to ask you to do. Tell House that he has to go to the locker room tomorrow night. Someone wants to see him."

"That's the last."

"Yeah, and your first order from your new department head."

* * *

All mistakes are mine.

Please tell me if I should continue more of this. Coz seriously now, I am enjoying the other I'm writing.

Next chappie if you'd still like it, will be a song fic: Set You Free by Side A. Cool song, that is.

Heheheh... Please review.


	8. Law of Impenetrability

This one is for** TeresaB**

What can I say, I like dedicating chapters/stories to buddies.

Thanks for the kind words.

**-----------------------**

With this one I strongly suggest (well, if you don't want to, it's okay),

that the song **Set You Free** by **Side A** band be downloaded

and while you're listening, you can read.

Just see if it'll be one hell of a reading experience.

Experiment, let's see what emotions it will bring you.

**-----------------------**

LEGENDS:

**Bolds**i are the song's lyrics, layout at the center.

_Italics _are thoughts.

Normal fonts are narration.

* * *

**CHAPTER 8**

**Law of Impenetrability**

"Law of Impenetrability states that no two objects can occupy the same space at the same time"

But "Two objects cannot occupy the same space at the same time" is not an hypothesis: it is a statement about "logical space" not about real space.

It is entirely up to us whether we follow the common rule or invent a new one: we are dealing here with linguistic conventions, not with "necessary facts" about reality.

In other cases wherein the same law applies: letting go of the other might be hard yet it is the only/best way to make another stay.

* * *

The locker room is a cold place by night and it is so at exactly the moment when Greg went in and found Lisa sitting lugubriously on the bench at the center of the room.

Greg realized that Lisa is not aware of his presence as he approach her, he noticed too that she is wearing earphones connected to the black PSP he recognized to be the one he was holding two nights ago in the same place. Only now, they are in a completely different situation both bearing a completely different aura.

Greg unconsciously looked at the top of her head and indulged to the sight of her languidly while she shivers in the vastness of space surrounding both of them.

Greg sighed, moved towards her, snatched one of the earphones to one of her ears, sat himself beside her and said: "Hey! You asked to see me?"

Lisa frowns at the sight of him plus the fact that he startled her: "You said that there are no other songs in this PSP," she said accusingly.

Greg heard music to one part of her ear where he placed the earphone. The melody is unfamiliar to him; the instruments playing though are good enough to set him on the mood: "Yeah, I said that."

Both of them thought that those would actually be the beginning of ranting and/or banter. War of the words, in which they know they are so good at. They resist each other, resent each other then dismiss each other. The day after, they meet again, do the same but then again on the day after that, and the next day that follows.

Until they did not notice, it has been going on and on and on for more than eight years now. Everyday, not a single one spared.

Then the song began.

Nobody spoke a word as if in respect to allow each other to listen.

-------

**-----------------------**

**We often fool ourselves  
And say that it's love only **

**-----------------------**

-------

For the first time both listens. No one resisted, no one resented. Both listened and stared at each other's eyes as if memorizing its complexity, depth and meaning.

-------

**-----------------------**

**Cause when it's gone  
We end up being lonely **

**-----------------------**

-------

Both drowned at the sight of each other.

Listening at a moment when nothing is ever spoken, when nobody dared to speak a single syllable.

-------

**-----------------------  
So how are we to know  
That it just isn't so  
That we just have to let each other go?**

**-----------------------**

-------

Lisa said: "I accepted Thorne's proposal."

Something in Greg's head snapped.

Lisa observed his change of facial expression.

Greg said: "Well, that's good."

Lisa tried to read him, put one of her hand to the center of his chest.

"You finally met a man ready to suffer hell with you." Greg choked at every word as if he can't breathe at the sight of her reaching to him.

-------

**-----------------------  
There were many times  
When we shared precious moments **

**-----------------------**

-------

Memories flooded in both their minds:

_**::flash::flash::**_

_House shouted: "I'm sorry for falling asleep during sex last night! Ok? I said I'm sorry!"_

_Cuddy's jaw dropped._

_**::flash::**_

"_I am not going in your party! There is not enough hotdogs there to make me happy!"_

"_Go to hell for all I care!"_

_**::flash::flash::flash::**_

_House cleared his throat, "Green fits you. It—uh—reflects your eyes." During the past moment of stillness, House's mind raced against his own heartbeat. Feeling such sensation caused him to panic and disconnect for whatever it is that is taking over him._

_Its Cuddy's turn now to withdraw, "My eyes are not green."_

"_Yet they are not solidly blue though. Your eyes, it—uh, kind of glows or reflect what you wear."_

_Another silence, only now, nobody attempted to stare at each other. Both are either staring in mid air or through and through on furniture._

_**::flash::flash::flash::**_

_**::flash::flash::flash::**_

"Hey, Leg-puller! I am the one who doesn't' have the time for this… For chasing after you, I mean."

Once House is in and soon after he heard the door shut from behind Cuddy, he faced her with a drop dead serious look: "What did you just call me?"

Cuddy stopped in her tracks as House abruptly face her. The realization of what words she chose to name-names on House precipitously came into her consciousness. "I said leg-puller…"

"You think mocking what **you** did to my leg is supposed to make me roll down and hug my abdomen in laughter?" House assaulted her.

_**::flash::flash::flash::**_

_**::flash::flash::flash::**_

"No. How could this happen to me? How could I forget? Not, tonight, please." She blurted out.

"Why? Hot date, Dr. Cuddy?"

"Should be more than that!"

"Tsk, tsk, tsk… Seems to me that the only date both of us are having tonight are each other…"

"Shut up for one moment, House and let me think about how we'll be out of here."

"You said its computerized and its time-locked, so I assume this kind of lock opens up on its own on its own time," staring at Cuddy with a face saying I-am-so-smart-to-figure-that-out.

_**::flash::flash:: **_

"You're so gross, stalking me like that…"

"Fine. You know why I stalk you? It's because I'd like to know the pattern you use on how fashionable you pick the panties you wear for the day."

"Oh, gross!"

_**::flash::**_

"Red unddies, huh?"

"Pervert," she said as she quickly stands up and composes herself.

_**::flash::flash::flash::**_

_**::flash::flash::flash::**_

"You're staring at my lips again, Greg." Lisa said shaking her head, smiling at the same time.

He jerked pretending he had just woken up from an open-eye sleep, "Sorry you lost me…"

"What? You think I don't notice the way you stare at my lips until you seemingly look lost in it about a couple of times now? What does it bring you, Greg? Memories or ideas?"

"Well, pretending I know what you're talking about, it doesn't bring me memories for there are none. You may therefore conclude that it brings me ideas."

"No memories, Dr. Gregory House? Oh, really?" she teased.

"You changed your lipstick. Usually, then, you use red and sometimes plum. Now, you're wearing pink."

"Doesn't sound like one of those brilliant ideas you are so famous of."

"This new one radiates your skin. It makes your face glow with a natural looking blush on."

"The idea was?"

"I am wondering what does a pink lipstick tastes like."

"Sorry, can't lend it to you now. It's in my bag, in my office. In case you haven't noticed, WE'RE STUCK HERE. Thanks to you."

"It's okay. You're still wearing it. You might wanna---" gesturing his fingers to indicate an action between his lips and hers.

"Oh, nice try. A minus for effort, B for bastard." She said, backing off.

_**::flash::**_

-------

**-----------------------  
But later realized  
They were only stolen moments **

**-----------------------**

-------

Lisa's thought brought her somewhere:

_Lisa felt the light touch of Greg's lips to hers though she decided to remain still. The power that is driving her to respond to that kiss to encourage deepening it is dethroned by her ability to be in control if her emotions. She pretended to be asleep for the whole one second that seemed to be forever for the two of them that's trying to steal some time from the world just to be with each other._

With her eyes and their body connected only with her hand to her chest she asked:

"_What happens to us now, Greg?" _

At the same time, Greg's thought brought him somewhere:

_Both Wilson and House watched all those as it happens. Wilson asked again: "Why, House? Why are you keeping your distance from her? We both know you should be out there trying to fight for your share in her life…"_

_He turned to his friend: "It's hard pretending to be friends with someone special when every time I look at her it just hurts even more knowing that all that I can see is ultimately everything I want but cannot have."_

_Wilson fell silent, but he managed to find his voice: "You have to make a decision. You have to confirm to yourself whether you like her, love her or just let her go." He brushed his hair with his fingers: "You deserve to be happy. She deserves a choice."_

-------

**-----------------------  
So how are we to know  
That it just wasn't so  
That we just had to let each other go?**

**-----------------------**

-------

**  
**They stared at each other's eyes. Trying to connect, memorizing the colors of both their eyes.

Nobody spoke.

Silence ruled.

Passive aggression was perfectly contained.

They breathed each other's air, lived in each other's body, and ventured in each other's mind.

Greg said: _You made a choice. _

Lisa said: _Thorne offered me my dreams. A family, a child, a husband. A life better than this. _

Greg said: _I can't do that. I can't be as perfect as him. I don't have so much as what he owns to offer you. I barely have something to offer myself. _

Lisa said: _I don't need you to be perfect, Greg._

Greg said: _I am not a good person. _

Lisa said: _Then don't be good. Just be you and love me. _

Greg said: _You told me once you wanted someone to tell you that you complete him. I can't say that to you, you cant complete me! I never missed a piece coz I never had it; I can't give you what you want. _

Lisa said:_ I need you to show me you'd fight for me. That there is a chance for us!_

Eye to eye, they talked.

-------  
**-----------------------**

**If loving you is all that means to me  
When being happy is all I hope you'd be  
Then loving you must mean  
I really have to set you free **

**-----------------------**

-------

Greg said: _I can't do that. There is no us. There can never be any us. _

No words needed. Nothing else required.

-------

**-----------------------  
Each day we meet my love for you  
Keeps growing stronger  
But everytime we meet  
Makes leaving you so much harder  
So how are we to know  
That this just wasn't so  
That we just have to let each other go **

**-----------------------**

-------

Perhaps, both is wondering, which hurts the most: saying something and wishing they hadn't or saying nothing and wishing they had.

**  
**Lisa fought the tears flooding her eyes.

Greg pretended not to care.

Insensitivity happens by choice, never by nature. Because all humans have emotions, feelings. Its just that there are some humans who pretend not to feel and some humans who pretend not to see.

-------

**-----------------------  
If loving you is all that means to me  
When being happy is all I hope you'd be  
Then loving you must mean  
I really have to set you free **

**-----------------------**

-------

"_He's the kindest person I have ever met, but I endlessly search for you._

_I think about him most of the time, but all comes to mind are memories brought by you._

_He owns my world now, but you own me since the beginning._

_It's a mess; I'm in a turmoil right now. One you've cost he, he's saving me from it._

_But can you take it that he is the one that I want although you're the one that I love?_"

Lisa said, with her eyes.

They stared, again: Just stared, never spoke a word.

He did not answer, even with his eyes. Not a single word. Not even a sound.

-------

**-----------------------**

**Letting go is not an easy task  
When smiling feels like I must wear this lonely mask  
It hurts deep inside  
And I just cannot hide  
That there's anguish at the thought  
That we should have to part **

**-----------------------**

-------

**  
**They looked at each other longingly: both suppressing the pain, both denying the existence of the conversation that their pained hearts are having. Yet they listen.

Greg went up the bench.

Lisa looked at the floor to avoid and draw the strength to accept what move he'll dare to take.

"_I know that some things are just really not meant for me. When that certain time comes to me, I know how to let go. It doesn't mean I'm weak. I'm just showing how strong I am to fight the urge of wanting something I'm not supposed to have." _

Greg smiled at her bitterly and walked away with all the pride that's left of him.

Lisa smiled too, but as soon as he was gone, she wept. Never spoke a word.

Not a single sound was heard.

Greg stood there at the door, mimicking a ghost, pretending he ceased to exist. Concealing himself from the world and especially from Lisa.

But then he never spoke a word. Not a single sound was heard.

Although, undeniably both waited for a single sound to drop and break the silence...

-------

**-----------------------**

**If loving you is all that means to me  
When being happy is all I hope you'd be **

**-----------------------**

-------

**  
**

But then, no one ever spoke a word. Not a single sound was heard.

Not even a sigh of despair from the other.

Not even a suppressed sob of pleading to signal surrender.

Not even a footstep to console or to even just say that all of this wasn't real and was just meant to be some sick joke.

-------

**-----------------------**

**Then loving you must mean **

**-----------------------**

-------**  
**

Both know it was an art: the masterpiece they are so good at.

-------

**-----------------------**

**I really have to set you free**

**-----------------------**

-------

The real art of a conversation is not only to say the right things at the right time but also to leave the wrong things unsaid at the most tempting moment.

Greg went out.

Lisa stayed.

The locker room remained to be a solitary cold room from that moment on.

**

* * *

**

Thanks for Reading

This is end of Act 1.

Act 2 Follows in this series: This same story, next chappie will have something to do with **The Art of War.** And, yes. I have decided to finish it, to the letter.

Love me.

Tell me about the experience if you tried it, or if not, drop by.

Again, Thank You.


End file.
